A solid pre-season training camp with a settled squad set the foundation for Maritzburg United’s positive start to the new Premier Soccer League season after their dramatic battle against the drop in the last campaign‚ says coach Ernst Middendorp.
“It was very important to have settled preparations and we had it sorted from the beginning‚” said the taciturn German after his side snatched three points in their first game away against Bloemfontein Celtic at the Molemela Stadium on Saturday.
Maritzburg had all their new signings in place by the time they came back from their holidays at the end of June.
“Only Dennis Wiedlich came three or four days later after he put all his paper work in place.”
The new German defender‚ who is of Ghanaian origin‚ was among a host of new signings the club brought in immediately after they had secured their top-flight status by beating Jomo Cosmos in their last game of last season.
“It is crucial that everybody was there from the beginning. It helps the players to work better together and to get an understanding of each other‚ of the formations and the tactical ideas.
"I wanted that and there was a lot of work after the end of the last season. We pushed to get all the signings in place as quickly as we could.”
Some acquisitions‚ added Middendorp‚ came with a touch of good fortune.
“We would not have got Andrea Fileccia if it had not been for the bad injury that he had.”
The Belgian striker was the top marksman in the league last season before suffering a serious knee injury in January that ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.
Free State Stars agreed to terminate his contract in June and Maritzburg picked him up without paying a transfer fee.
Fileccia made a much quicker than expected recovery and debuted for Maritzburg in Wednesday’s 1-0 win.
Maritzburg are also waiting for defender Themba Shabalala‚ another signing from Stars‚ to return from injury‚ which Middendorp said would not happen before October.
“But he is with us and he is integrated already into the squad.” - TMG Digital
Maritzburg United attribute early season success to solid pre-season training camp
A solid pre-season training camp with a settled squad set the foundation for Maritzburg United’s positive start to the new Premier Soccer League season after their dramatic battle against the drop in the last campaign‚ says coach Ernst Middendorp.
“It was very important to have settled preparations and we had it sorted from the beginning‚” said the taciturn German after his side snatched three points in their first game away against Bloemfontein Celtic at the Molemela Stadium on Saturday.
Maritzburg had all their new signings in place by the time they came back from their holidays at the end of June.
“Only Dennis Wiedlich came three or four days later after he put all his paper work in place.”
The new German defender‚ who is of Ghanaian origin‚ was among a host of new signings the club brought in immediately after they had secured their top-flight status by beating Jomo Cosmos in their last game of last season.
“It is crucial that everybody was there from the beginning. It helps the players to work better together and to get an understanding of each other‚ of the formations and the tactical ideas.
"I wanted that and there was a lot of work after the end of the last season. We pushed to get all the signings in place as quickly as we could.”
Some acquisitions‚ added Middendorp‚ came with a touch of good fortune.
“We would not have got Andrea Fileccia if it had not been for the bad injury that he had.”
The Belgian striker was the top marksman in the league last season before suffering a serious knee injury in January that ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.
Free State Stars agreed to terminate his contract in June and Maritzburg picked him up without paying a transfer fee.
Fileccia made a much quicker than expected recovery and debuted for Maritzburg in Wednesday’s 1-0 win.
Maritzburg are also waiting for defender Themba Shabalala‚ another signing from Stars‚ to return from injury‚ which Middendorp said would not happen before October.
“But he is with us and he is integrated already into the squad.” - TMG Digital
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