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Sekhukhune coach credits senior lads for keeping the side humble
Babina Noko sit nine points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
Sekhukhune United players warming up during a training Session at the Johannesburg Stadium. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Sekhukune United are clearly dressed in the garments of the surprise package in the DStv Premiership this season as they have always lingered around the extreme top of the log. Today they sit nine points behind defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, and United coach MacDonald Makhubedu’s recipe for success is to have a respectful and humble team, which he credits his senior players for maintaining that.
READ ALSO: Sekhukhune edge SuperSport to move second on the log
“I have good senior players who lead by example. I always tell them that they must guard against complacency and be humble because if you are humble you will achieve,” said Makhubedu.
“My senior players like Willard Katsande, Cheslyn Jampies, Edwin Gyimah, they play a big role in calming things down and helping the technical team that I have because we have to respect our opponents and be disciplined on and off the pitch. We have to respect the badge as well.
You can think of very few sides that got promoted from the GladAfrica Championship and set the scene alight in their maiden season in the top flight. For the Pretoria-based side, it all goes down to intricate pre-season planning.
“We assembled a good technical team that is young and hardworking and the players are coming to the party. They bought into our idea because we were clear on what we wanted when we profiled our players.
“Some people thought we were going to get it wrong but we knew that we had to go with experience, especially in our central areas from the back to attack and with the goalkeeper, we had to look internationally and break the bank for him. We wanted to mix the experienced players with the young ones who came with us from the GladAfrica Championship,” he said, following his side’s 1-0 win over SuperSport United this past Sunday.
“You have to collect at least about 20 points in the first round so that you won’t have pressure on the second round. This victory against SuperSport was very important, we had to win it or at least get a point coming back from the loss. We deserved to win and it is a good boost for us.”
