Fresh from guiding Rising Stars FC to a historic Coke Cup triumph, head coach Jendre Wentzel is under no illusions about the demands awaiting his youthful side in SAFA Cape Town’s notoriously unforgiving Third Division.
The so-called “Graveyard League” lived up to its reputation in Stars’ opening fixture, as their Under-18-based squad suffered a harsh reality check with a 3-0 defeat to Jomos Power in Atlantis.
Despite the scoreline, Wentzel felt the result was somewhat harsh on his side and believes valuable lessons can be taken from the experience.
“Look, it’s going to be difficult, but I didn’t think we deserved to lose 3-0,” Wentzel told No Bones with Jones. “Between some decisions and moments where we lost concentration, we unfortunately gave away goals that could really have been avoided.
“But I think that is a learning curve for us, myself as a coach, the other coaches and the players as well. We need to be switched on for the full 90 minutes. A lot of these boys haven’t regularly played a full match at this level, so improving our fitness and concentration levels throughout the game is going to be very important.”
Despite the disappointing start, Wentzel remains optimistic about the journey ahead and believes the challenges of the campaign will ultimately aid the development of both players and coaches.
“Overall, we’re looking forward to the season because it’s going to be a good challenge for us. There are a lot of games still to be played and there will be plenty of ups and downs, but it’s going to build character for everybody, myself included.”
Things do not get any easier for Stars, who welcome one of the division’s most feared outfits, Greenwood Athletic, to Ocean View Sports Complex on Saturday.
However, Wentzel, who has been with team from January this year, is also eager to test himself and his squad against some of the strongest teams in the competition.
“I’m looking forward to competing and seeing the level of the players and my own level as a coach. I’ve only been coaching for five years, so this is also a step up for me in terms of the standard of competition and everything else that comes with it.
He further explained: “It’s a good challenge and I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve also brought in a few more experienced players to join the group and hopefully the younger players can learn from them and take a lot on board.
“It should be a good season. Whatever happens, our main goal remains player development. We want to help these players improve and take their football as far as possible,” Wentzel concluded.
For Wentzel and his talented young squad, results may be important, but the bigger objective remains unchanged: developing players capable of thriving at the next level. If Stars can do that while competing against some of the toughest teams in the division, their maiden Third Division campaign could prove successful regardless of where they finish on the table.
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