Giant killers Dondol Stars looks forward to the playoffs
Dondol Stars are gearing up for the national promotional playoffs for the National First Division's Motsepe Foundation Championships which begin in Pietermaritzburg from June 6 to 11.
Nedbank Cup giant killers, Dondol Stars, are looking forward to the ABC Motsepe League national playoffs that will be held in Pietermaritzburg from June 6 to 11.
The playoffs will decide who qualifies for the National First Division’s (NFD) Motsepe Foundation Championship, which is a precursor to the prestigious Premier League Division’s DStv Premiership.
Dondol Stars’ Alex co-coach Vincent ‘Young Master’ Rammoni described the team’s preparations for what is a make-or-break playoff as going according to plan and that everyone is coming to the party.
“Our training sessions are going well and everyone doing good. All I can say for now is that we are happy with our preparations, and everyone is working very hard. We don’t have any challenges as yet and hopefully; it stays like this up until the start and finish of the play offs. All our players are looking forward to the action and hope to put their best foot forward,” Rammoni told Alex News.
The Young Master, who also goes by the nickname ‘Pep Guardiola’ in football circles after the Manchester City manager, said the team stands a good chance to qualify [for the NFD] because of the quality of players in the team.
“We still have a lot of work to do but mood wise everything is working according to plan. But as everybody now looking at us with a different eye after our exploits in the Nedbank Cup, we now have to triple our efforts and work relentlessly harder than we did before,” Rammoni said.
On ‘Messi’ [Tshepang Phala], Rammoni said the player is Alex’s hope and testimony of a young black child who believed in hard work and that he was glad that he is at the level where he is today.
“I keep fingers crossed he doesn’t disappoint and that he’ll keep growing as a player and a person. We would all love him to be the beacon of hope for many youngsters in the township and prove that it can be done.”
Turning to a player he described as one of the smartest centre-backs he has coached so far, Rivaldo Cancelo, who is also one of the pillars of strength for the team, Rammoni said he was rearing to go for the play-offs and ‘we love how he’s been working at training’.
The draw for the play-offs was held at Safa House on May 29 and Dondol Stars came top of group A alongside Umsinga United from KwaZulu Natal and a still-to-be-confirmed side from the Free State.
Group B is made of Amavarara FC from the Eastern Cape, Young Bafana from the Western Cape and Upington City from the Northern Cape while Group C comprises Orbit College FC from North West, Mlambo Royal Cubs FC from Mpumalanga and Mpheni Home Defenders from Limpopo.
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