Highlands coach Da Gama ‘doesn’t give a damn’ what people say
Highlands coach Owen Da Gama has heard other teams complain about their style of play but he says he will stick to his philosophy and what has largely become their identity.
Owen Da Gama coach of Highlands Park (Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix)
SuperSport are next in line to face the Lions of the North in what is expected to be a fast-paced game at the Makhulong Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
READ: Five things to look out for in the Absa Premiership this weekend
“People have got the right to voice their opinion, it is a free country, they can say whatever they want. They don’t pay my salary so I basically don’t give a damn. My bosses are very happy with what we have achieved in a short space,” said Da Gama.
“We cannot play like Kaizer Chiefs, like Orlando Pirates or Golden Arrows. We can play like Highlands and you will sweat when you play against Highlands, you will sleep for three days after playing Highlands Park. We are a hard-working team.
“We break records every season. We broke six records in the NFD, we broke a record last season for being the first team to get into the top-eight after promotion and we were in the final this season. People have got the right to say what they want because we know that we want and we will keep doing what is good for us,” he added.
While Da Gama is looking to guide his side to a top-eight finish for a second year running, he is keeping an eye on the battle for league honours and he says it is healthy for South African to have Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns all raising their hands for league honours, although the Buccaneers cowardly shy away from declaring their title aspirations.
“It is good when Chiefs, Sundowns and Pirates do well, those are our three big clubs. If they do well it all goes well with Bafana Bafana, it does well for our league and it shows that we have got the best league in Africa,” said Da Gama.
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