BARKER FEELS CHIPPA

STELLENBOSCH FC coach Steve Barker is trusting that his team’s achievements this past season will help him keep the core of his squad.

Stellies were runners-up in the MTN8, reached the last four of the Caf Confederation Cup, and are set to replicate their third-place Premiership finish again.

This success has been a double-edged sword for Stellies in the past though with leading players such as Ashley du Preez and Zitha Kwinika (both Kaizer Chiefs), Deano van Rooyen (Orlando Pirates) along with Junior Mendietta, Jayden Adams and Iqraam Rayners (all Mamelodi Sundowns) being lured to Gauteng.

Barker is expected to lose another stalwart in captain Fawaaz Basadien to one of the Soweto giants at the end of this season, but is now hoping that his players can feel that something groot is brewing in Stellenbosch. 

Barker says ahead of the league encounter against Chippa United at the Danie Craven Stadium at 7.30pm on Wednesday: “Sustained success means you’ve got to keep doing what you’re doing but find ways to be better at what you’re doing.

“Hopefully we can continue to attract good players and hopefully we can maybe retain more of our players you know going forward. 

“We are playing in Confed and we are getting far in tournaments. Sometimes players need to look at this club and say ‘You know it's not a club that maybe I want to leave because it’s a club that has the opportunity to be really successful.’”

Stellies have certainly missed Rayners’ razor sharpness in front of goal, especially across the two Confederation Cup semifinal legs where they failed to find the back of the against Simba FC. 

Rayners has instead transferred his form to Sundowns where the Bafana Bafana striker has banged in 16 goals in 36 matches across all competitions. 

Barker, however, feels that Lehlogonolo Mojela’s long-term injury along with former Cape Town Spurs striker Ashley Cupido tearing a hamstring against AmaZulu in the week ahead of the semi-final had a bigger impact. 

The goalscoring will therefore be left to Devon Titus and Andre de Jong in the all-important clash against Chippa United as Stellies look to get back into Confederation Cup contention for next season.

In Wednesday's other matches, Pirates welcome Sekhukhune United while Mamelodi Sundowns host Richards Bay at 7.30pm.