Our team is a lot more experienced and matured says Steve Barker ahead of Carling Knockout Final
Stellenbosch FC is one of the success stories of South African football in terms of putting young talent in the spotlight. The Western Cape-based side now has a lot more experience and maturity to achieve success in the Carling Knockout final, according to coach Steve Barker.
“If you look at the team now, we are able to put out a team of experience and maturity. If you look at Sage, he’s been around the block. The back four has been around for a while, they’ve been playing professional football for many years. Iqraam Rayners has got experience, he’s been in the league for many years. The two young players that are getting regular game time are now experienced,” explained Barker.
Coach Barker was speaking ahead of the club’s first final against the hot and cold TS Galaxy. The two teams meet for the first time in the lucrative Carling Knockout to be staged at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban this weekend. It please Barker that he can now call upon matured players.
“It’s no longer a team that has at times in the past having to play youngsters that hadn’t yet gained experience. So if you look at the team, the balance is good in terms of age. They are all in their peak performing years. The young players like Jayden, Devin and Antonio are sort of over 50 caps, Jayden over 100 caps. So we are able to deal with certain situations than we were in the past,” Barker told media at the team’s training ground.
Stellenbosch have been to two semifinals in recent times and will be hoping to clear the final hurdle in Durban and become the first team to put the coveted Carling Knockout trophy in the winelands cabinet.
