The calm before the storm… or not?
Well, whatever lies in store for this season’s ABC Motsepe League champion FN Rangers at the National First Division playoffs in the Northern Cape in June, from a preparation and planning point of view, it appears that coach Arreshaat Daniels has his bases covered – on and off the field!
Rangers will represent the Western Cape at the playoffs in Upington’s Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium after they brushed aside Antalyaspor Cape Town 2-0 in the provincial final two weeks ago.
Needless to say, this playoff campaign will be uncharted territory for Daniels and his troops. That said, ‘Saatjie’ as Daniels is called, won’t be fazed by this as his experience as a former pro player, coupled with his streetwise skills, will allow him to not feel overwhelmed or intimidated but rather to take charge of the challenges and obstacles thrown at him.
Daniels explained their recent lull period and lack of activity at their Royal Road Sports Complex home ground in Maitland, is part of his strategy.
“Preparations have been low-key this past week as I gave the boys off as well to give them time for themselves,” Daniels told No Bones with Jones. “Next week we will go full on as I have some friendlies lined up.”
Only time will tell whether this season’s ABC Motsepe League champion has what it takes to become only the second Western Cape team in almost six seasons to win promotion to the first division after Mike Lukhubeni (late) guided Steenberg United to promotion in the 2018/’19 season.
Daniels has hinted already that they have some ‘spies’ that will supply them with intel on some of their rivals.
“At the moment there’s a few that are known,” Daniels revealed. “We are trying to get info on most teams so that we are kinda ready, you know. Their strengths, styles of play and weaknesses… this information will be important,” Daniels added.
Daniels conceded that he has been in touch with coaches who have experienced the playoffs before in order to get a better understanding of the tasks that lie ahead.
“I’m basically listening to how they went about things and what to look out for and where they maybe went wrong,” Daniels added.
“Look, at the end of the day you can have all the info but it is what you do with it.I believe in our squad and we’ll focus on things that are in our control. If we do things right that we’re good at then we should give a good account of ourselves”
Six other provincial champions have already been identified. They are Njampela FC from KwaZulu-Natal, Thames FC (North-West), Dondol Stars (Gauteng), Kruger United (Mpumalanga) and Mpheni Home Defenders (Limpopo).
The winners from the Free State, as well as both the host provinces, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape, still need to be determined pending cases.
Rangers will depart for Upington on 13 June with the playoffs to start from 17 to 23 June according to dates set out by Safa WC.
