Black Leopards are confident of collecting enough points in their remaining fixtures to secure a place in the promotional playoffs by the end of the season - if head coach Zeca Marques' words are anything to go by.
In an exclusive interview with Limpopo Mirror after the team's 3-0 victory over Cape Town Spurs on Saturday, Marques said Black Leopards' future looked bright. He observed during his short tenure as head coach that there is a lot of talent in the Leopards' camp. Marques took over from Ghanaian national Maxwell Konadu last Monday (3 February). Judging by Saturday's performance, Leopards' players have adapted quickly to his coaching philosophy.
The former Moroka Swallows mentor said they would play several friendly matches during the 10-day break. Only teams still competing in the Nedbank Cup will be in action this weekend. Black Leopards were eliminated from the competition by Cape Town Spurs at the start of the year.
Marques revealed that these practise matches would help him find a winning combination before their next league fixture against Pretoria Callies at Lucas Moripe Stadium outside Pretoria on 22 February. He added that his mandate was clear: to ensure the team secures a place in the promotional playoffs. He said he would not have accepted the job if the goal was not achievable. He emphasised that anything was still possible, given that there are still 36 points to play for in their remaining league fixtures.
The 63-year-old coach stated that his immediate target is to win their next three matches. Winning three in a row would shift their focus toward aiming for the top spot and securing automatic promotion by the end of the season. He also noted that the break would give left-back Siphelele Magubane enough time to recover from an injury he sustained during their home game against Cape Town Spurs last Saturday.