No one needs to remind Saxon Rovers head coach Robbie Pretorius that the ABC Motsepe League log paints a grim picture of his side’s debut campaign.
Given the fanfare that accompanied Saxons’ transformation, their underwhelming start has come as something of a surprise. Armed with a revamped clubhouse and fresh from acquiring Vasco da Gama’s Second Division status, many expected the Maitland-based club to hit the ground running.
However, eight games into their eagerly anticipated Motsepe League adventure in Stream A, Saxons find themselves in unfamiliar territory. One win, six defeats, a draw and a minus-10 goal difference have left their ambitious anchored to the foot of Stream A – a far cry from the optimism that surrounded the start of the campaign
Yet despite their difficult start and growing perception that Saxons are the league’s whipping boys, Pretorius remains calm, insisting the club’s struggles are nothing more than early “teething issues”.
“Not at this stage,” Pretorius told No Bones with Jones when asked if there was reason for concern. We had quite a few things that hurt the start of our ABC campaign, but we can’t look for excuses. We just need to fix what needs to be fixed and move forward.”
One of the key setbacks has been the departure of former assistant coach Elton Swartz, who has since taken charge of Vasco da Gama’s Third Division side.
Pretorius admitted the experienced coach’s absence has been keenly felt within the technical team.
“Swartz is a massive miss for us as a technical team and for me,” said Pretorius. “I don’t even think he realises how good he really is. He’s someone who brought a lot to the environment and his departure definitely left a gap.”
However, Pretorius was quick to stress that the coaching department itself is not the root cause of Saxons’ woes.
“Even though I know it’s a massive gap, I don’t think the technical team is a problem,” he assured.
While results have been hard to come by, Pretorius remains convinced Saxons possess the structures and personnel to climb away from trouble. For now, the message from the coach is clear: stay calm, trust the process and fix the mistakes before panic becomes a necessity.
