One of the co-coaches of Black Leopards, Mr Sundra Govinder, is optimistic that the team will not be relegated to the lower division when the Motsepe Foundation Championship programme for the current season comes to an end.
In an interview after his team’s game against Hungry Lions at Thohoyandou Stadium last Sunday, Govinder said the team would collect enough points in their remaining matches to avoid relegation. Leopards lost 2-1 to Hungry Lions.
Govinder said that, since joining the club three weeks ago, he had observed a great deal of talent in the Leopards camp. Last Sunday’s match was the first for Black Leopards under the guidance of Govinder and Duncan Lechesa, who were appointed co-coaches three weeks ago following the departure of Mr Mabhuti Khenyeza.
Govinder added that their first priority was to work on the players’ fitness levels and improve their self-confidence. He said the players’ morale had been low when he arrived at the camp due to the team’s poor results in previous matches.
Expressing optimism about the team’s future, Govinder said much could still happen, with 36 points available from their 12 remaining matches. He said he took comfort in the fact that the other relegation candidates, The Bees FC and Baroka FC, were also beaten last weekend.
Black Leopards and Upington City have a match in hand, while the rest of the teams have 11 matches left before the end of the season. Lidoda Duvha’s next fixture is against Midlands Wanderers at Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on Saturday.