Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has shared his eagerness for the start of the 2024-25 Betway Premiership following an impressive 2023-24 campaign where his side finished third with 50 points and qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup.
Stellies have hit the ground running this season having booked a spot in their first-ever MTN8 final after back-to-back victories against Mamelodi Sundowns and will lock horns with Orlando Pirates to decide who will lift the trophy.
The Western Cape side also qualified for the next Leg of the CAF Confederations Cup after cruising past Nsingizini Hotspur 8-0 on aggregate. They are set to clash with DR Congo side AS Vita Club in the next round.
“It is exciting always to start a league campaign, I think cup competitions are nice, but the bread and butter is the league. Growing up as a footballer, and as a coach, the ultimate glory is winning the league titles, so we would want to win a league title.
“We want to go into the season knowing that it is possible, all be it very difficult,’ said Barker during the lunch of the Betway Premiership on Tuesday.
The coach admitted that the club is on an upward trajectory and has been showing signs of improvement every season since gaining promotion to top-flight football.
“We are growing as a club. It is just about consistency each and every year if we can just continue to be better than the previous season. We will keep knocking on the door.
“We came third last year, maybe unlucky not to finish second. We learned a couple of lessons in those sort of last five league games. It is about performing week in and week out, performing and making sure that you take each competition separately. Once the league start, we have to focus and give our full attention to that.”
The Cape Winelands side will open their new league campaign by hosting Lamontville Golden Arrows on 15 September.
Stellies have lost some of their key players including former captain Deano van Rooyen who has joined Orlando Pirates and Iqraam Rayners who is now in the books of Mamelodi Sundowns.
Barker reinforced his squad with Lehlogonolo Mojela, Sanele Barns, Omega Mdaka, Brian Onyango and Ashley Cupido. He shared the confidence that he has on his squad adding that they will take one game at a time for each competition.
“But I just think we are building a squad where we have good players in every position. It’s about making sure we focus on one game at a time. I think you can’t think too far ahead on the league, you can’t think too far ahead on CAF.
“It is about the next game, the next challenge and if we can just get our focus on every single game being the best that we can be, anything is possible.” Concluded Barker.
