AKAFUNI kubabuse ekhanda umqeqeshi weStellenbosch FC, uSteve Barker, ukuthi banethuba lokudlala kwiCaf Champions League ngesizini ezayo ngoba imidlalo yeDStv Premiership ebasalele isengabaphoxa bagcine bengasangenanga ngisho kwiCaf Confederation Cup.
IStellies eshayelwa uBarker ilokhu iqhubekile nokugila izimanga eligini enkulu yakuleli okufakazelwa ukungayazi kwayo induku emidlalweni engaphezulu kwengu-20 ehlanganisa yonke imiqhudelwano.
Ukuqhubeka kwaleli qembu ukuqoqa amaphuzu kwiligi kulibeka emhlane weMamelodi Sundowns kwi-log okuhamba negunya lokumela iPremier Soccer League (PSL) kwiChampions League ngesizini ezayo.
Iqembu eliqeda endaweni yokuqala nelilala isibala lidlala kwiChampions League, eliqeda kweyesithathu lona lidlala kwiConfederation Cup.
Nakuba konke kubukeka kukuhle kwiStellies kodwa leli qembu limiswe kabi i-Orlando Pirates kulo mbango wendawo yesibili.
Yize uJose Riveiro, wePirates engakufihli ukuthi ufuna ukuqeda kweyesibili ukuze ezohamba neSundowns, uBarker akafuni ukuzicindezela ngokuveza izifiso zabo.
“Okusemqoka ukucabanga ngemidlalo elandelayo kuphela ngoba uma sizihlupha ngokuzokwenzeka ekupheleni kwesizini ekubeni sisasalelwe imidlalo eyisithupha, singagcina singayanga ngisho kwiConfed,” kusho uBarker sakuxwayisa ekhuluma nabezindaba kulandela ukunqoba iTS Galaxy ngo 2-1 koweligi ngempelasonto edlule.
IStellies isazodlala nePolokwane City, Golden Arrows, Moroka Swallows, Sundowns neRichards Bay FC nowaMaZulu FC.
“Akuwona amanga ukuthi indawo esihleli kuyona yinhle kanti nefomu yethu iyancomeka kulezi zinsuku kodwa lokhu akusho ukuthi sizoyinqoba yonke esisalele.
“Angiphiki ukuthi ithuba lokwenza into encomekayo kule sizini likhona kodwa iphutha esingalenza ukuvalwa amehlo ilelo phupho bese sikhohlwa ngokufanele sikwenze manje ukuze sizosondela kulona ,” kuqhuba yena.
Uyakuvuma uBarker ukuthi isithunzi iqembu lakhe elilokhu liqhubekile nokusakha isona futhi esebenzela ukuthi izinto zibe lukhuni kwesinye isikhathi.
“Ukwenza kahle kwethu kuyasigqamisa okwenza wonke amaqembu azibambe ziqine uma ezobhekana nathi ngakho-ke lokhu kuyasiphoqa ukuthi sizame ukukhuphula kulokhu esikwenzayo,” kuphetha uBarker.
IStellies izodlala nePolokwane ngoMgqibelo esigodini sayo eDanie Craven koweligi. Isekhona kwiNedbank Cup lapho iqhathwe neSundowns kowandulela owamanqamu osenkundleni efanayo ngoMeyi 5.