‘Job not done yet’, says Swallows coach Truter
Swallows FC coach Brandon Truter says he had to calm his players after they got overexcited at the news that they had overtaken Ajax Cape Town and gone top of the GladAfrica Championship standings for the first time this season.
Brandon Truter, head coach of Swallows (Gavin Barker/BackpagePix)
The Dube Birds went top on goal difference after beating Richards Bay 2-0 while Ajax lost 2-1 to JDR Stars. Now if they can match or better Ajax’s result in the last match of the season, Swallows will go up automatically.
READ: Swallows soar into pole position for Absa Premiership return
Truter admitted that their win at the Rich Boys wasn’t easy on the eyes as all that mattered was the result and nothing else.
“We were not at our best. Our play wasn’t as fluid as we wanted it to be. But it was a fight and it wasn’t about nice football and more about the result.
“It was so scrappy that five or six players were booked and we picked up a few niggles and injury concerns but we should be able to manage that,” said Truter yesterday.
“After the game we learnt that Ajax had lost and we were above them by one goal (on goal difference) and the excitement levels went up. The guys were ecstatic but I calmed them down and reminded them that there are still 90 minutes of football to be played and nothing has been won yet,” he added.
When Truter joined the Dube Birds in September last year, the side were in a bad space and didn’t have any prospects of even making the playoffs.
“We are top at the moment and we’ve never been there. From 14th when I got here to where we are now people see us as favourites but if you look at the games we are yet to play, I’d say we have the tougher one against Tshakhuma. Ajax have Mbombela who are in a position of bother but are safe.
“I am now focusing on the next game and on keeping the players calm. It has been one game at a time all season and this is also just another game for us. We have to go out and do what we have been doing all along,” said Truter.
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