×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Embattled Polokwane City coach Clinton Larsen continues to pray for a miracle

Clinton Larsen coach of Polokwane City during the Absa Premiership match between Polokwane City and Orlando Pirates at New Peter Mokaba Stadium on January 07, 2020 in Polokwane, South Africa.
Clinton Larsen coach of Polokwane City during the Absa Premiership match between Polokwane City and Orlando Pirates at New Peter Mokaba Stadium on January 07, 2020 in Polokwane, South Africa.
Image: Philip Maeta/Gallo Images

The stark reality of relegation is staring bottom club Polokwane City square in the face but beleaguered Clinton Larsen is continuing to pray for a miracle.

Larsen is hoping to escape the automatic drop into the quicksand through the promotion/relegation play-offs in matches to be played against lower tier sides Ajax Cape Town and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM)

City face Bidvest Wits in their last match of the season on Saturday and for Larsen's unlikely wish to come true‚ the Limpopo side would need to win by eight goals while at the same time hope that Baroka FC lose without scoring in their match against title-chasing Kaizer Chiefs.

“You have to try and score as many goals as you can‚ it’s not rocket science‚” said Larsen after the 3-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns that left them starring down the barrel.

“We are in this position‚ it’s our own doing that we are here but we must try and win the last game by as many goals as we can and that’s basically it.

"We have been worried for a long time‚ actually it’s an understatement if you ask whether we are worried.

“We are bottom of the table and we tried to make sure that we put our strongest team out there but it didn’t happen against Sundowns.

"We have one game to go and still have to make sure that we fight until the last minute of the last game. Players can’t be faulted for anything and I can say that for every single game. Today our opponent was just way ahead of us and you just have to accept that sometimes.”

Larsen admitted that he is faced with a difficult job of motivating players given the precarious position they find themselves in. “We are all professional enough to know that with one game left and the situation we are in‚ we have to be sensitive to how the players are feeling and we must make sure that we lift them.

"It’s my job to make sure that we motivate them for the final game. We need to go there and give it our all and hopefully the result other result go our way and we score plenty of goals. That’s basically all we can try and do.”

PODCAST | Fan face-off part two: Chiefs vs Sundowns