While Hanover Park FC stand on the brink of matching the back-to-back Coke Cup triumphs achieved by Premier United and Diadora, head coach Ralph Hendricks insists records are the last thing on his mind.
“It’s not about records and stats, it’s about winning it for our club, community and supporters all over the peninsula,” Hendricks told No Bones with Jones.
“We are well prepared, ready to go and make everyone proud. We’re here to run our own race.”
The youthful-looking 66-year-old also dismissed any notion that Hanover Park’s second successive appearance in the final is a stroke of luck, revealing that the Coke Cup has been the club’s priority from day one.
“We prioritised this competition from the start of the season. Our main focus was the Coke Cup and now we’re in the final again. What a proud moment for the community of Hanover Park.”
Questions have been raised about whether Hanover Park rode their luck in the quarter-finals against U&I in Du Noon after surviving several early scares before taking control of the match. Hendricks, however, sees it differently.
“I don’t think we were lucky. The conditions were bad and we played until the final whistle. We knew they wouldn’t keep up with the pace and our squad has good depth. In the end, we should have scored more.”
The “Brasse Vannie Park” have certainly shown both resilience and firepower during their run to the final. They edged past Montagu Spurs 5-4 on penalties after a goalless stalemate, but have otherwise been ruthless in front of goal.
Hanover Park have racked up an impressive 21 goals in the competition so far, with lethal striker Maurice “Haaland” Theart responsible for five of them as the club chases another piece of Coke Cup history.
