FN Rangers head coach Arreshaat Daniels conceded that it will be a huge task and challenge to repeat last season’s ABC Motsepe League success.
Rangers clinched their maiden league title only to fall short at the playoffs in Upington last season.
The Maitland-based side also lost a couple of key players for their exploits like goalie Kyle Peters, Zunaid Dollie and Dondre Gordon who went on to greener pastures and this unsettled Rangers to an extent.
Daniels has since started with his rebuilding and recruited a number of young (and experienced) guns in the process which he will groom and integrate into his squad – but only if he feels they are ready to be unleashed.
No Bones with Jones can confirm that the services of Courtney Smidt, Jamian Minnies, Tashreeq Manuel, Lance Weaver, Mikhail Herman, Rabian Beukes, Lincoln Vyver and Rephan Dryden have all been secured with more to follow.
Daniels explained to our website: “We missed out on a great opportunity for the club and players but we won’t dwell on that. We now start the rebuild to enable us to give it another go to go one step better. Not taking anything for granted as there are so many quality teams within the league with the same mandate,” he added.
Some of his recruits have already put up their hands when Rangers beat fellow second division rivals Junction Rovers by 2-0 in a Nedbank Cup preliminary round at the Royal Road Sportsfield in Maitland on Saturday thanks to goals from Shane van der Westhuizen and Tashreeq Manuel.
Rangers have now set up a quarterfinal tie against Grassy Park United which will be another good test for Daniels who’s indicated that the competition is predominantly used to get his troops ready for the gruelling league campaign.
“For us it’s good to use it as prep for the season ahead,” Saatjie, as Daniels is known, added. “The further we can go the better, because it’s competitive and not like friendly matches with less intensity. Look, this competition Is always good for the club and players but we don’t want to be sidetracked by a Nedbank Cup that doesn’t mean much if you still have to play in the same league year in year out.
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY CONRAY SWAIL
Other Nedbank Cup results.
Royal Blues 2, Ubuntu Spartans 1
FN Rangers 2, Junction Rovers 0
Mbekweni Cosmos 2, Ammar Soccer Academy 1
Oriented Birds 2, Salim United 0
