The sky is the limit for Cape Town City after coach Benni McCarthy called his PSL title hopefuls “contenders” for Mamelodi Sundowns’ crown.
City kick off their league campaign on Saturday against SuperSport United, before facing off with Maritzburg United in the season’s first knockout competition - the MTN8 - next Sunday.
And asked what his goals are for his second term in charge, Benni says City have the players and hunger to challenge for everything.
He says: “I think after the pre-season that we had I am more excited than I was last season.
“I see how the players have upped their game 50 percent from last season.
“So I’m optimistic and I think the new faces that we see in the team and they have made us real contenders now.”
Despite losing a number of experienced players ahead of the season, including skipper Robyn Johannes, City believe they have more than enough talent to compete for honours.
City have brought in Dutch goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh and exciting teenaged Bafana Bafana attacker Gift Links, who both look capable of making a huge impact this term.
And Benni is especially happy with his options in the final third, with Links adding to the threat of new boys Riyaad Norodien and Siphelele Mthembu, while hitmen Matthew Rusike and Masoud Juma are fit again.
Dimension
He adds: “We’ve strengthened where we lacked the most - upfront. Matthew looks like a new player and Shaka Zulu [Mthembu] came in and adds a new dimension for us.”
The man who takes over the armband from Johannes, Thami Mkhize, shares Benni’s belief that they battle with the big boys.
He adds: “We can challenge for everything on offer this season - cups and the league.
“We’ve worked had in pre-season where proved what we can do against the big teams.
“So I believe that if we keep workin hard, we can win one or two cups. We’ve added quality to the squad and we have had enough time to gel well ahead of the opener this weekend.”