Mthabisi Tshuma [email protected]
BLANKET Mine FC’s dream of securing promotion to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is alive and head coach Luke Jukulile-Petrod says unity of purpose in the dressing room has been the game-changer.
The Gwanda-based side is in the thick of the championship race in the Central Region Soccer League, grinding out results week after week with two straight wins set to secure them promotion.
Today, Blanket Mine FC will play host to ZRP Gwanda in an explosive Gwanda derby showcase.
Jukulile-Petros has previously won the Central Region Soccer League title, guiding Whawha to the Premiership twice in 2014 and 2019. He is on course to repeat the same feat, this time with a different team.
Speaking to Zimpapers Sports Hub, Jukulile-Petros said the biggest transformation has been off the pitch.
“The biggest change in the dressing room was the unity of purpose. The team is showing great togetherness at training and the continuous grinding of good results, hence our current position and being in the championship race.
“We are trying to manage the pressure by instilling dedication, discipline and determination until the end of the season. We are not allowing complacency to creep into our members. We are focusing on each game as it comes,” he said.
Blanket Mine FC are among the favourites for promotion, a feat that would see them join the country’s elite league for the first time. The coach has assured fans that if they reach the “promised land,” they will not be pushovers.
“Given that we reach the desired promised land, the PSL, we promise and assure our fans that we are not going there to just add numbers. We need to fight and survive relegation as our first priority and do the best competitively,” said Jukulile-Petros.
The gold miners have shown consistency this season, with their never-say-die attitude earning them crucial points both home and away.
If they maintain their current form and discipline, Blanket Mine FC could be playing top-flight football next season, a massive achievement for the mining community of Gwanda and Matabeleland South province as a whole.
Blanket Mine are unbeaten in 30 matches.
Follow on X :@mthabisi_mthire
