NWU Mafikeng coach Amos Xabanisa says his side cannot afford to underestimate any of the teams in Varsity Football this season.
With access to their impressive soccer institute, NWU will always be a major threat in Varsity Football, but as their semifinal exit in last year’s inaugural competition proved – there are no sure things in football.
Augustine Makalakalne’s side lost to eventual champions UP-Tuks in the final round before the play-offs and then lost again to the same team a week later in the semifinal to end their tournament prematurely and disappoint their legion of fans.
Xabanisa has taken over from Makalakalane who is focusing on the soccer institute, but he is no rookie coach having been involved with NWU since 1987.
He was the coach to take them to the final of the first SAU tournament back in 1996 and won coach of the tournament in 2001.
Xabanisa got his squad together around four weeks ago, and although he has lost a few of the players that featured last year, he has also picked up some serious young talent from both the local leagues and outside Mafikeng.
“We have the same core with a few players brought into the system from the second division as well,” he said.
Although he will have a considerable amount of firepower at his disposal, Xabanisa warned that it would be foolish to underestimate any of the teams in the Varsity Football tournament.
“All of the teams in this competition are good, so we must do our work and be mindful that the other teams are well prepared as well,” he said.
There will be something of a score to settle with UP-Tuks, but Xabanisa pointed out that the Pretoria side will not be the sole focus for his side.
“Of course we want to beat Tuks, but it is not them alone that we are worried about. Teams from the Western Cape always bring a different dimension and we are also wary of NMMU who we play in our first game,” he said.
