UNIVERSITY of Pretoria coach Steve Barker hopes a one-day workshop this week to work on the mental conditioning of his side will help them snap a losing streak, plummeting to second from bottom in the Absa Premiership standings.

AmaTuks brought in an outside motivational company to run a workshop with the players on the mental side of the game, which Barker said had "brought a lot of things together".

"It was a very good session on Thursday and we've set ourselves goals to get out of our current position," Barker said. "Obviously, you cannot just wave a magic wand. Our resilience is being tested and we need to stand up and show character."

AmaTuks lie just two points above bottom-placed AmaZulu.

"The players are hurting after the loss to Bloemfontein Celtic, which was unlucky," Barker said.

"Some of the things that fell our way two seasons ago [when AmaTuks finished in the top eight], like a ball going in off the bar five minutes from time, for example, are now just not going for us.

"But the players are determined and the next two games are crucial."

AmaTuks were set to play Maritzburg United at Harry Gwala Stadium tonight but the PSL announced yesterday that they had postponed all the Absa Premiership and National First Division matches for this weekend.

This is in view of the funeral of former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain Senzo Meyiwa, who will be buried in Umlazi tomorrow.

Barker's team are without a win in their last seven outings, six in the league plus the Telkom Knockout first-round tie where they took neighbours Mamelodi Sundowns to extra time but still ended up on the losing side.