The pressure of being labelled as tournament favourites took its toll on North West University in the inaugural Varsity Football competition last year.
NWU could not cope with the level of expectation that was bestowed on their team. They were expected to show up and collect the trophy, but things did not go their way in 2013.
They managed to sneak into the semifinals on the last day of the round robin and they were eventually eliminated by UP-Tuks in Pretoria.
But they are back and confident about going two steps better by getting to the final and winning it. Their goal is to lift the trophy on the last day of the tournament in front of their home supporters.
NWU will open their account against hard to beat Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth on Monday (7pm).
If the intensity and determination that was displayed during their pre-season preparation is anything to go by, their tears of sadness last year could be turned into tears joy in the second edition.
They have retained seven members of the squad that did duty last season. But the biggest change is in the technical team. Last season’s coach Augustine Makalakalane, has been replaced by Amos Xabanisa.
Xabanisa said he is relishing the challenge of leading the team to the final. He was in charge of the regional and the women’s teams at NWU in the past.
But he has been involved in coaching since 1996 and he is not new into the coaching scenes. He has assembled a strong squad of 25 players from the lower leagues and third division.
He said: “We have specialised players and when the game dictates that we need the strength we have that. We have speedy youngsters. We hope that we will do better than we did last season and win it.” said Xabanisa.
Lebogang Phetlhu will captain NWU this season and he expects nothings but to lift the trophy on the final day of the competition.
The 21-year-old centreback, who is studying Logistics management, said his team is working hard and that fans should expect entertaining football.
Phetlhu said: “We are aiming to win the tournament this year. We have learned that we have to play as a unit and not rely on individuals.”
Last year they started the tournament like a house on fire with a convincing 4-0 victory over Wits, but the wheels suddenly came off.
“We thought that we won the tournament even before a ball was kicked, but we didn’t live to expectations. We were complacent and got big headed, but we won’t repeat the same mistakes again. We are in it to win it this time.”
Phetlhu also warned UP-Tuks that they will avenge their last year’s two painful defeats.
By Charles Baloyi – sports writer for the Daily Sun and Sunday Sun Newspapers
