Barker on a mission to make Stellenbosch a hard team to beat

Having gone three games without a loss in the 2022/23 DStv Premiership season, Steve Barker is on a mission to make Stellenbosch FC a difficult team to beat.

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The mission for Barker began with a goalless draw against Marumo Gallants away from home. Then, Orlando Pirates also found it hard to beat Stellenbosch, in fact, Stellies could have easily walked away with a win, but the sides ended up tied on 1-1. The Cape Town-based club then snatched three points against Royal AM in their last game.

Barker believes once they become their opponents’ worst nightmare, they will win more games.

“I think it is important for us as a club…We have principles that we want to apply when in possession and when we are not in possession. We want to become a hard team to play against, a hard to beat. We want to have a good defensive organisation structure and not allow opposition time and space. It’s a daily task of working on it vigorously and with a lot of detail,” said the Stellies mentor.

“So, once we become a hard team to beat, I think that will lay a foundation to go on and look to win football matches. The players have responded well to our principles defensively and if we can continue that it will be good for us to be a team that is not easy to play against.”

Stellenbosch have amassed five points in the three games played so far, but Barker believes it could have been more had they taken their chances against Pirates.

“The five points from the nine, I think we were unlucky not to have gotten more against Pirates. Especially with our dominance and chances we created. I think with a bit of luck we could be on seven points. It was important for us to beat Royal AM at home and it is important to show consistency going into the next game,” he added.

Stellies have an opportunity to make it two wins in a row when they take on neighbours Cape Town City at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.