How’s this for a wild thought?
With uncertainty looming over the future of the newly promoted Hollywoodbets Super League side UCT Ladies, their former rivals The Magic Ladies – who harbours ambitions of competing on the highest level – could perhaps explore the possibility to collaborate and strike a partnership between these two entities.
This could possibly be a win-win situation for both parties to not only achieve their respective objectives but to ensure there is another channel for females from Cape Town to realize their footballing dreams – especially when Vasco Ladies sold their franchise a couple of seasons ago.
It is no secret that the UCT Ladies have lost some key and experienced players and they are well aware that they will have to recruit smartly for next season’s HollywoodBets Super League campaign.
And this is exactly where the Magic, under the tutelage of the former Bafana Bafana striker George Dearnaley as well as the former Banyana Banyana goalie Astrid Van Kesteren comes in.
“Big Geroge” has been making positive strides with his ladies and blooding young female talent with the hope that they reach their full potential.
The club also has a strong emphasis on player development which includes creating pathways to study and to educate themselves as it is a fact that not every player will make it as a pro player.
The more one thinks about it the more it makes sense. The big question is; Will the willingness to at least engage be there?
The Magic, current Stream winners, has also shown that they are a very ambitious club but has on multiple times fallen short and this can also be down to a lack of resources and proper funding which have stifled them to an extent.
Their current partners and backers, Miles October’s Sport For Life project, have been loyal over the years and played its part, however, it can also only do so much at the end of the day.
Hence, Dearnaley should perhaps try to tap into his former Bafana Bafana teammate Kamaal Sait, who is currently the caretaker coach of UCT Ladies due to the injuries to coach Ahmad Parker, to possibly pursue this option – who knows, like I said just a wild thought.
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY TARREN SAUNDERS
