INHLOKO yabaqeqeshi kwiStellenbosch FC, uSteve Barker, ibona bephelezela uRhulani Mokwena embangweni womklomelo womqeqeshi ovelele kwiDStv Premiership.
UBarker ushayelwa ihlombe ngabaningi ngendlela ashintshe ngayo izinto kwiStellies eyibeka endaweni yesithathu kwi-log yePremiership. Lokhu kusho ukuthi leli qembu laseKapa lizodlala umqhudelwano wase-Afrika okokuqala emlandweni walo. Lizomela iNingizimu Afrika neSekhukhune United kwiCaf Confederation Cup ngesizini ezayo.
Ngaphezu kokubeka iStellies endaweni yesithathu kwi-log, uBarker uhole leli qembu lawina indebe yokuqala esigabeni esiphezulu okuyiCarling Knockout maphakathi nesizini. Nakuba konke lokhu kumenza abhekwe njengomqeqeshi ofanele ukuwina umklomelo weDStv Premiership Coach of The Season kodwa yena ubona ufanele uMokwena owine iligi neMamelodi Sundowns. Omunye umqeqeshi osembangweni nguJose Riveiro we-Orlando Pirates oqede endaweni yesibili kwi-log yePremiership, wawina nendebe yeMTN8 neyeNedbank Cup eshaya iSundowns ngempelasonto.
AbeStellies baqokwe eminxeni eyisikhombisa kumaPSL Awards. Unozinti, uSage Stevens uzobanga oweDStv Goalkeeper of The Season noRonwen Williams oshaye into ecokeme kule sizini. Omunye unozinti osembangweni nguBadra Sangare weSekhukhune.
“Ngiyaziqhenya kakhulu ngokuqokwa kwethu eminxeni eminingi kangaka. Kufakazela esikwenze kule sizini. Bengitshela uSage Stevens ukuthi yithina sobabili kuphela okungamele silindele okuningi. Isibalo semidlalo unozinti engangenelwa yigoli, yisona esimuwinisayo. Ngicabanga ukuthi uRhulani umfanele umklomelo. Ube nesizini enhle kakhulu, ewina iligi ephambili ngamaphuzu angu-20, wahlulwa emdlalweni wokugcina kuphela. Lokhu kuhle kakhulu, ngakho umfanele umklomelo. Nginesiqiniseko sokuthi uzowuwina futhi kufanele,” kusho uBarker.
IStellies iqede isizini inamaphuzu angu-50. Iwine engu-14, yadlala ngokulingana kweyisishiyagalombili, yahlulwa kweminye eyisishiyagalombili. ISundowns iqede inamaphuzu angu-73 emidlalweni engu-30. Iwine imidlalo engu-22, yadlala ngokulingana kweyisikhombisa, yahlulwa kanye kwiligi.
Nakuba umklomelo womqeqeshi ovelele ujwayele ukuwela kowine iligi kodwa eminyakeni edlule kwenzekile okuhlukile. Ngesizini ka-2001/2002, uGavin Hunt wawudla esaqeqesha iBlack Leopards, ngo-2005/2006 u-Owen Da Gama wakhala wemuka nawo eqeqesha iSilver Stars bengayiwinanga iligi. Lokhu kwaqhubeka nangesizini ka-2006/2007, yawinwa nguMuhsin Ertugral esaqeqesha i-Ajax Cape Town. Ngesizini ka-2020/2021, kusuke umsindo uBenni McCarthy ewina umklomelo weDStv Coach of The Season eqede endaweni yesibili kwi-log naMaZulu.
“Yimpikiswano kodwa akuyona esingayiwina. Angikwazi ukulawula ukuthi...(Kuwina bani). Kodwa umunxa uthi yiDStv Premiership futhi yilokho okubalulekile. Ngicabanga ukuthi uma sibheka sihlanganisa yonke imiqhudelwano, mhlawumbe singakhuluma okunye. Kodwa futhi kufanele simncome uRhulani, wenze umsebenzi oncomekayo,” kusho uBarker.