Barker banking on veterans to lead battle for top-flight status post lockdown

Having played their maiden 24 games in the league as rookies, Stellies will have tough fixtures to consolidate their top-flight status when the league resumes once the Coronavirus curve is flattened and normalcy is restored.

Stellies still have to play Chippa United, AmaZulu, two teams that are below them and fighting to move away from the drop zone. They still have to face Cape Town City in the Mother City derby and interestingly enough, both sides are tied at 27 points.

With a couple of veterans at his disposal, Barker said he is counting on the likes of Morgan Gould, Robyn Johannes, Marc Van Heerden, Asavela Mbekile and Granwald Scott for a safe landing after what has been a bumpy first season in the elite division.

“Scott has really been good for us since he has come in and he is really a professional footballer who is a winner. Every day in training he has brought the talent and his experience,” Barker told Phakaaathi as he looks to guide his side to the 30-point mark, which is normally a benchmark for safety.

“Scott has got the composure on the ball, he is very forward-thinking and he is a great leader, an organizer. He has a lot of attributes that we require when we bring in a player and he has filled all of them. He has not played much football in the last couple of years but he has added huge value, we are counting on players like him,” Barker added.

He continued: “We are still to play Chiefs in Durban and we have got Pirates away but in between that we have got four home fixtures against teams like Golden Arrows and AmaZulu.

“You want to get that job done and don’t want to put yourself under the pressure and leave it for the games against the big teams that are possibly challenging for the league. It is important for us to try and get there as soon as possible.”

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