While most Motsepe Foundation Championship clubs gave their players a full break during the FIFA international window, Venda Football Club (VFC) have taken a different route. Although the squad was granted a weekend off after last Friday's match against Highbury FC in Port Elizabeth, they were back in full training on Monday.
With league fixtures only resuming next weekend, VFC have opted to use the two-week pause to sharpen their game. Head coach Clinton Larsen said the decision not to extend the break was driven by several factors. He wants to use the period to "tighten up the team's loose ends" and address specific shortcomings.
Larsen said some players were still short of the fitness levels he expected. He also highlighted poor finishing as a concern. "Accurate shooting is still a challenge to some of our strikers," he said, adding that this had prevented VFC from scoring more freely this season.
Another priority during the break is identifying a more settled starting combination. Larsen confirmed that the club had lined up friendly matches against fellow Championship sides and Betway Premiership teams to assist with that process. He believes the additional game time will help him "find winning combinations" and boost conditioning.
Supporters, he said, can expect "a new VFC team" when they return to competitive action against Black Leopards at the Thohoyandou Stadium next Friday, 21 November. Larsen's short-term target is clear: he wants the team to win at least three of their next five matches and end the first round inside the top-five bracket.