While Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker is desperate to win the Nedbank Cup title, he feels desire and attitude will be enough to see his side go all the way to the final.
Barker reached his first cup final with the University of Pretoria in 2009 before losing to Moroka Swallows 0-1 at Rand Stadium. Ahead of Saturday's quarterfinal clash against Mamelodi Sundowns at Athlone Stadium (6pm), Barker said it would be a huge achievement for the club if they were to reach the semifinal and final.
"Any player and any coach in our career are defined by winning trophies," Barker told the media yesterday during the club's press conference.
"We want to sit back and say we have won this. It is a competition in which you start in the last 32 and we are two games away from being in the final and for us as a club, it will be a big achievement to be able to get into the semifinal first.
"It is a cup of dreams and the underdog cup. It is a romantic cup to be played in terms of underdog tag. There is no pressure on us, Sundowns want to win everything and they are eyeing a treble.
"I think for us, we just have to go out there and enjoy the occasion and be brave and try to take the game away from them. That will be our attitude. It is a competition that we want to honour the late Oshwin Andries and go as far as we can."
Looking at the match against Masandawana, Barker said their recent 1-1 draw in the DStv Premiership game has given them hope that they can win the quarterfinal on Saturday.
"It definitely does, we've analysed the game. There were good things in the game we did and the disappointing part is we didn't allow them to score in the open play but to concede in a sloppy free-kick...," he said.
"But in terms of the way we played and the structure, we didn't make it comfortable and easy for them, we looked dangerous, especially in a transition. I think the players can take confidence from that and our players will want to show that they can compete with the best players in the country, so there is that added incentive to perform."
Nedbank Cup quarterfinals fixtures
Saturday: Dondol v Pirates, Peter Mokaba (3pm); Stellenbosch v Sundowns, Athlone (6pm)
Sunday: Chippa v Sekhukhune, Mandela Bay (3pm); Royal v Chiefs, Chatsworth (6pm).
Stellies want to honour late Andries in Nedbank Cup
It will be a big achievement to be in semis – Barker
Image: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
While Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker is desperate to win the Nedbank Cup title, he feels desire and attitude will be enough to see his side go all the way to the final.
Barker reached his first cup final with the University of Pretoria in 2009 before losing to Moroka Swallows 0-1 at Rand Stadium. Ahead of Saturday's quarterfinal clash against Mamelodi Sundowns at Athlone Stadium (6pm), Barker said it would be a huge achievement for the club if they were to reach the semifinal and final.
"Any player and any coach in our career are defined by winning trophies," Barker told the media yesterday during the club's press conference.
"We want to sit back and say we have won this. It is a competition in which you start in the last 32 and we are two games away from being in the final and for us as a club, it will be a big achievement to be able to get into the semifinal first.
"It is a cup of dreams and the underdog cup. It is a romantic cup to be played in terms of underdog tag. There is no pressure on us, Sundowns want to win everything and they are eyeing a treble.
"I think for us, we just have to go out there and enjoy the occasion and be brave and try to take the game away from them. That will be our attitude. It is a competition that we want to honour the late Oshwin Andries and go as far as we can."
Looking at the match against Masandawana, Barker said their recent 1-1 draw in the DStv Premiership game has given them hope that they can win the quarterfinal on Saturday.
"It definitely does, we've analysed the game. There were good things in the game we did and the disappointing part is we didn't allow them to score in the open play but to concede in a sloppy free-kick...," he said.
"But in terms of the way we played and the structure, we didn't make it comfortable and easy for them, we looked dangerous, especially in a transition. I think the players can take confidence from that and our players will want to show that they can compete with the best players in the country, so there is that added incentive to perform."
Nedbank Cup quarterfinals fixtures
Saturday: Dondol v Pirates, Peter Mokaba (3pm); Stellenbosch v Sundowns, Athlone (6pm)
Sunday: Chippa v Sekhukhune, Mandela Bay (3pm); Royal v Chiefs, Chatsworth (6pm).
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