Wits FC targeting good start to ABC Motsepe League
- Tshepiso Mametela
Wits University FC will have its work cut out when tackling Vaal outfit FC RESA in their first game of the new season in the ABC Motsepe League at the weekend. This is according to head coach, Alzavian van Rheede, as the club prepares to get off the starting blocks in the Second Division competition.
On paper, the bookies might favour the might of Wits against their opponents though the calibre of the opposition warrants closer inspection. RESA boasts at least eight Jomo Cosmos on-loan players in addition to several faces who sport the colours of Kaizer Chiefs Reserves in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge.
A calling card for the Johannesburg side to negate any potential threat that will come in the form of the former PSL (now DStv Premiership) centre-forward, Nicholas Mynhardt, who is among the latest players to join the ranks at Wits. He is expected to be a potent component of the strike force having been blooded by Kaizer Chiefs at the highest level on the domestic football circuit.
“It will take time to blend him into the way we play and that goes for all the other new faces,” said van Rheede of the new man in. “He has impressed me and my coaching staff with his amazing attitude and work rate. His talent is unquestionably up there with the best in SA football and I'm not surprised that he played in the PSL before.”
Following the game in the Vaal in a group many are calling the stream of death, with the other sides comprising AJ United; Highlands Park; Dube Continental; NWU Vaal; Pele Pele FC; Maholosiane and Alexandra Black Aces, alongside FC RESA and Wits, the latter will do well to manage the pace of the game, with and without the ball, if they are to pick up early points.
Team manager Sanele Nene said a competitive campaign here will see the team on their way as they also look to challenge for the year’s Varsity Football and USSA Club Championships on the University football front.
He said preparations for the league have gone to plan thanks, in part, to the friendly matches the team have run out for. “Things have gone fairly well and we had some good tough competition in the preparation period,” said Nene. “The boys are in a relaxed and focused state as we have kept our environment pretty much the same so as to not add any undue pressure on the boys.
“There is a lot of familiar faces, so, it was not that difficult to work on combinations and allow the team to gel. In terms of how we will ensure that we are title contenders, the aim for us is to take it one game at a time and prepare thoroughly for each game.”
Nene added: “We don’t want to put too much pressure on the boys in terms of looking too far ahead and the aim now is to just respect each game as it comes.” In terms of the constraints presented by Covid-19 on the team, a handful of positive cases were picked up but nothing to wholly disrupt the momentum inside the camp.
“The guys were quickly isolated and are back in contention. There are obviously extra measures in terms of compliance but we have a compliance officer who does that for us,” said Nene. Kick-off is 3 p.m. at the George Thabe Stadium in Sharpeville, Vereeniging on Saturday, 6 March.
Wits University Football Club Players
Left to right: Kgwadi Molepo, Matthew Welgemoed, Sabelo Tsambo, Kal Laing, Ntandowenhle Mvubu, Saluleko Mathonsi, Benjamin Melamdowitz and Ashley Sibisi