Aces aim to finish on top
Mpumalanga Black Aces coach Clive "The Dog" Barker is plotting a perfect finish to the Absa Premiership log and a good run in the Nedbank Cup.
Barker, the former Bafana Bafana coach who has successfully guided the South African national team to its first-ever silverware, and the African Cup of Nations back in 1996, told Mpumalanga News he wanted to take Aces to a perfect position on the log, somewhere in the top eight to be precise.
“This is our first season in the PSL and I must say we have assembled a strong and competitive team that has delivered outstanding results.
“We have played against some of the league’s best teams such as Sundowns and come up tops. This only tells you that we are among the best. All we need to do is be consistent,” said Barker after their clash against Maritzburg United last Sunday at Mbombela Stadium.
Aces will travel to KwaZulu-Natal for a tough outing against Maritzburg United in the Nedbank Cup on Saturday.
“We have shown that we can score goals and win games, all that is left for us to do for our supporters, is to do well in the Nedbank Cup.
This is the last competition in the PSL and we need to show that
we have arrived. I know it’s not going to be easy, especially playing away, but we need this chance to prove ourselves,” he added.
Since the beginning of the season, Aces have displayed good football and look even sharper than the team that was relegated in the 2011/12 season.
Management has also gone all out buying top quality players and mixing them with the crop of young players that helped the team gain promotion.
Although the team is currently playing good football, management is not all smiles yet and it’s because of the poor attendance of supporters whenever the team plays at home.
“This is totally embarrassing and worrying at the same time. I mean, Aces is the only team representing the province in top-flight football, yet fans aren’t supportive and patriotic like those of other provinces. Whenever Bloemfontein Celtic play at home, the whole province comes out to support them, but the same can’t be said here.
“The decision for us to take the games to Mbombela was so that we
could accommodate all supporters in the province, because this was the perfect neutral venue. We would like to appeal for more support, especially when playing here in Mbombela,” urged Aces spokesman, Gordon Masondo.
Read more on the Aces:
Buccaneers dominate Mbombela clash against MPU Black Aces
Mpumalanga Aces leave the Free State Stars in the dust
