Chronicle Editor
SUPERSPORT United head coach Kaitano Tembo has raised concerns about the lack of experience as his side crashed out of the Nedbank Cup.
Matsatsantsa only have the league to focus on after being elbowed out of the Nedbank Cup by GladAfrica Championship club Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila on Friday, which has sparked fires of speculation about the former Zimbabwe international’s future at the club.
Tembo has been with SuperSport for over 20 years, spending the last four years at the helm of the first team through a period in which the club has largely relied on youth and not been spending money whenever they have sold their best players.
In his analysis of their Nedbank Cup exit, Tembo was forthright about the lack of experience in his squad, which has as many as 17 players aged 23 or under.
“I thought we didn’t show a little bit of leadership and I think this is one game which we could have done better, but when 90 percent of your team are young players, it becomes a little bit difficult. There is a lack of leadership, especially in the heart of the defence.
“It is disappointing, but we didn’t have experience except for Ronwen (Williams) and Bash (Onisimor Bhasera) in the heart of defence, which is where we had problems. They couldn’t deal with (Rhulani) Manzini’s power as well as Rendani (Ndou).
“The long balls to the two strikers gave us problems so that is a challenge that we are facing at the moment. We want to win, but have to see where the team is in terms of playing personnel.
Look at the bench we only had young players. We need experience in certain areas,” said Tembo. With a financial purse that continues to become thinner, SuperSport are expected to make decisions at the end of the season.
Speculation linking Benni McCarthy with the club appears not to carry so much weight considering that the former Bafana Bafana’s representatives have indicated that his next project should be with an ambitious club keen to spend, which doesn’t fit SuperSport.
SuperSport are without a win in their last five games and play Kaizer Chiefs next. – KickOff
Online Reporter