UKUZIBEKISELA indawo kwiCaf Champions League, yikhona kuphela okuzothoba inhliziyo yomqeqeshi weStellenbosch FC, uSteve Barker.
Lokhu kudalwa wukuphazamiseka komgqigqo weqembu wokungehlulwa emidlalweni engu-25, ehlanganisa yonke imiqhudelwano.
IStellies engelinye lamaqembu akhombisa ukudlondlobala kule sizini, ikhale ngaphansi ngempelasonto kwiMamelodi Sundowns ngo 2-1, kowandulela owamanqamu weNedbank Cup.
EzikaBarker zishayiwe yiSundowns kwiNedbank nje, induku zaziyigcine ngoSepthemba, ziyithola kubona belu ompetha beDStv Premiership.
Emuva kokuphazamiseka komgqigqo weStellies, uBarker uyaleze abadlali bakhe ukuthi basheshe bakudlulise lokhu ngoba sebenejoka elisha.
Nakuba i-Orlando Pirates iyimise kabi iStellenbosch embangweni wokuqeda endaweni yesibili kwi-log, okuhamba negunya lokudlala kwiChampions League kodwa uBarker akazimisele ngokusuka endaweni yesibili ahleli kuyona.
“Kuliqiniso ukuthi kusekhona umsebenzi okusamele siwenze ukufeza iphupho lethu lokudlala kwiChampions League ngesizini ezayo,” kusho uBarker.
“Umdlalo wethu neSundowns usikhulise kokuningi mayelana negebe elisekhona phakathi kwethu nayo kodwa lokhu kuyasikhuthaza ukuthi sisebenze kakhulu ukuze silinciphise.
“Okusijabulise kakhulu yize sishayiwe ukuthi sihamba kujantshi ofanele ngoba noma likhona (igebe) kodwa alilikhulu kangako phakathi kwethu neDowns.
“Kuhle vele ukuzikala ngayo iSundowns ngoba iyona ekhonyayo ebholeni laseNingizimu Afrika, okufakazelwa ukudla kwayo isicoco seligi kulandelana.”
Yize uBarker ekucacisa ukuthi ubheke iChampions League kodwa iqembu linethuba lokudlala e-Afrika, ngesizini ezayo ngisho lingaqeda endaweni yesine.
Kusenethuba leCaf Confederation Cup uma iqeda endaweni yesithathu okuyinto esengenzeka.
“Kuyizinkomba ezinkulu ukudlala kunoma yimuphi umqhudelwano weCaf kodwa ngeke sikufihle ukuthi iChampions League iyona enkulu. Ngenxa yobukhulu bayo, (iChampions League) sifuna yona ngoba isifiso sethu ukubalwa namaqembu adlala imiqhudelwano emikhulu e-Afrika.
“Imidlalo esisalele kusemqoka ukuthi siyinqobe ngoba kusobala ukuthi amaqembu abanga lezi zindawo ezimbalwa ezisele azimisele ngendlela efanayo wonke,” kuphetha uBarker.