Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker says the club is dealing with the pressure of selling their best players as they stand to find themselves in a relegation dogfight.
Stellies are currently in 15th place in the DStv Premiership after suffering a 1-4 defeat to Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on Sunday. The team has now gone nine games without a win in the league and that has contributed significantly to where they are on the table.
This season is a contrast to the last campaign when they managed to finish in fourth place. In the off-season, Stellies lost key players such as Zitha Kwinika, Marc van Heerden, Sibusiso Mthethwa and Ashley du Preez.
Speaking to the media at Orlando Stadium, Barker explained what has been the difference between last season and the current one.
“We probably overachieved last season in finishing fourth, it was an outstanding season for us and we missed out on a CAF position by goal difference, so it did bring a three-year cycle to the way we do our things and the way we plan," Barker said.
“It was intentional, we did release a lot of experienced players and unfortunately we lost two key players in Ashley du Preez and Zitha Kwinika, and Juan Ortiz got injured in the last game against Cape Town City, and he's still injured."
To make up for the mass exodus, the Cape Winelands side promoted players from their development structures to the first team. Their inexperience has been exposed in the top flight and this has seen the team slide down into the relegation zone. Barker, however, is not pressing the panic button just yet.
“We’re being challenged now as a team and as a club in terms of how we deal with this and the pressure that comes when you’re not getting results," Barker said.
“It is a tough period for us. We’ve been there, we know what we need to do, and we know how to get out of it. We don’t need to start panicking, once you do that things can get worse. Yes, we are mindful of the situation, yes, we are worried about the situation, and yes we need to find a solution but for me, there’s no need to panic."
Barker concedes Stellies' selling policy is biting them
Relegation-threatened side lost four key players in off-season
Image: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker says the club is dealing with the pressure of selling their best players as they stand to find themselves in a relegation dogfight.
Stellies are currently in 15th place in the DStv Premiership after suffering a 1-4 defeat to Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on Sunday. The team has now gone nine games without a win in the league and that has contributed significantly to where they are on the table.
This season is a contrast to the last campaign when they managed to finish in fourth place. In the off-season, Stellies lost key players such as Zitha Kwinika, Marc van Heerden, Sibusiso Mthethwa and Ashley du Preez.
Speaking to the media at Orlando Stadium, Barker explained what has been the difference between last season and the current one.
“We probably overachieved last season in finishing fourth, it was an outstanding season for us and we missed out on a CAF position by goal difference, so it did bring a three-year cycle to the way we do our things and the way we plan," Barker said.
“It was intentional, we did release a lot of experienced players and unfortunately we lost two key players in Ashley du Preez and Zitha Kwinika, and Juan Ortiz got injured in the last game against Cape Town City, and he's still injured."
To make up for the mass exodus, the Cape Winelands side promoted players from their development structures to the first team. Their inexperience has been exposed in the top flight and this has seen the team slide down into the relegation zone. Barker, however, is not pressing the panic button just yet.
“We’re being challenged now as a team and as a club in terms of how we deal with this and the pressure that comes when you’re not getting results," Barker said.
“It is a tough period for us. We’ve been there, we know what we need to do, and we know how to get out of it. We don’t need to start panicking, once you do that things can get worse. Yes, we are mindful of the situation, yes, we are worried about the situation, and yes we need to find a solution but for me, there’s no need to panic."
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