AJAX Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertugral is not ready to hit the panic button just yet after his side slumped to a dismal 2-1 home loss to AmaZulu in the Mother City on Sunday.
The Urban Warriors were clearly second best as the visitors were able to control the play, with goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini a virtual spectator until conceding a late consolation for the home side.
But Ertugral hopes to have six more players available by the time Ajax travel to BidVest Wits on September 13, including a much-needed bolstering of the central midfield positions.
Lance Davids, Granwald Scott and Nhlanhla Shabalala all missed the Usuthu clash through injury, but they are three of the more experienced players in what is otherwise a young Ajax squad.
Ertugral is hopeful they will get over their niggles and be back in contention for selection. And he is also hoping that the three new foreign arrivals at the club - Finnish goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola, former Lamontville Golden Arrows centre back Ritus Krjauklis from Latvia and new Mozambican winger Ernesto - will be available by then.
"Lance Davids, Scotty and Shabalala will be back [in time to face Wits] and we have three foreigners who will still come in, so we have six outstanding players coming in. We will get much better," Ertugral said.
Ernesto has his work permit, but did not feature against Usuthu after the South African Football Association failed to complete his international clearance in time, while Jaakkola and Krjauklis must still physically sign their documentation so that Ajax can put in work permit applications to Home Affairs.
Meanwhile, a club insider has also revealed to Sowetan that the club will not be pursuing any further free-agent signings and that the squad will remain the same until the next window in January. Ajax now have a single point from their opening two matches, but face a difficult run of fixtures.
Ertugral refuses to panic
AJAX Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertugral is not ready to hit the panic button just yet after his side slumped to a dismal 2-1 home loss to AmaZulu in the Mother City on Sunday.
The Urban Warriors were clearly second best as the visitors were able to control the play, with goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini a virtual spectator until conceding a late consolation for the home side.
But Ertugral hopes to have six more players available by the time Ajax travel to BidVest Wits on September 13, including a much-needed bolstering of the central midfield positions.
Lance Davids, Granwald Scott and Nhlanhla Shabalala all missed the Usuthu clash through injury, but they are three of the more experienced players in what is otherwise a young Ajax squad.
Ertugral is hopeful they will get over their niggles and be back in contention for selection. And he is also hoping that the three new foreign arrivals at the club - Finnish goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola, former Lamontville Golden Arrows centre back Ritus Krjauklis from Latvia and new Mozambican winger Ernesto - will be available by then.
"Lance Davids, Scotty and Shabalala will be back [in time to face Wits] and we have three foreigners who will still come in, so we have six outstanding players coming in. We will get much better," Ertugral said.
Ernesto has his work permit, but did not feature against Usuthu after the South African Football Association failed to complete his international clearance in time, while Jaakkola and Krjauklis must still physically sign their documentation so that Ajax can put in work permit applications to Home Affairs.
Meanwhile, a club insider has also revealed to Sowetan that the club will not be pursuing any further free-agent signings and that the squad will remain the same until the next window in January. Ajax now have a single point from their opening two matches, but face a difficult run of fixtures.
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