As the ABC Motsepe season draws to a close, Ikapa United boss Shaun Pietersen reflected on yet another missed opportunity to stake a claim on the elusive Second Division title of Safa Western Cape.
With two games to go, the Mitchells Plain outfit is in second position in Stream A, but it is all academic as FN Rangers has operated like a runaway train this season which has already secured them the prize of stream winners.
Apart from Rangers’ dominance, there are indeed factors which curtailed Ikapa’s progress this season. Pietersen had a “scuffle” with his former coach Rowen Hendricks whom he appointed at the start of the season.
For all the promises made the former delivered zilch and his successor Zane Ryklief needed to pick up the pieces and restore some credibility halfway through the already short season due to the league structure.
“Look, we also lost seven players and that didn’t help our cause as it disrupted proceedings to a certain extent,” Pietersen pointed out to No Bones with Jones. “The scuffle with the former coach didn’t help us to achieve our objectives, you know.
“But hey, we’ll keep playing a part and cowboys don’t cry… we live to fight another day,” the former Camps Bay champion coach added.
Ikapa boast a record with the longest run in the Second Division. According to ‘Pietie Soprano’ as Pietersen is affectionately known, they already have their sights firmly set on next season.
“For sure, we will most definitely come out all guns blazing,” Pietersen further added.
“With Zane having settled in well we will give it another go,” he concluded.
Ikapa (26 points) welcomes the third-placed Hanover Park FC (25) for their penultimate fixture of the season to Wynberg St. Johns Sports Complex on Friday and maximum points will secure them a runners-up position, even though it means absolutely nothing in the bigger scheme of things.
