UP-Tuks coach Vellios Evangelos was gutted by the big margin of his team’s defeat to UJ on Monday night.
The defending champions’ coach was gracious in defeat. He didn’t make any excuses for the loss and admitted that his side were out-played by a hot UJ side.
Tuks lost 4-0 and it was their biggest and first defeat of the season. But the visibly dejected coach is calling on his side to bounce back to their winning ways against rookies Limpopo in their next game.
Tuks have dropped to fourth spot with six points after three rounds of matches. Limpopo suffered two defeats and managed one draw as they are languishing at the bottom of the log.
On paper it is an easy game for the defending champions, but after their worst drubbing, anything is possible for the struggling Limpopo.
Vellios said: “I am gutted. When you lose like this it’s painful, but it’s football. I take responsibility for the big defeat but we committed stupid mistakes and we were not in the game.
“But we rather have this defeat now than in the semifinals where the stakes will be even higher. We will dust off this defeat and move on,” he added.
Vellios is demanding a strong reaction in the next game and he wants Limpopo to be at the receiving end.
He said: “We need a reaction and I am 100% sure that we will get a reaction. Last year after three games we were on four points and now we are on six. These players have a massive heart and they will bounce back. It was a wakeup call that we needed.”
The Tuks coach said last year he was anxious, but he is now calm with the defeat.
“I have been with this team on this road before and know that we will bounce back. We just have to recover and move on we cannot do anything about this because the damage has already been done.”
By Charles Baloyi – Daily Sun and Sunday Sun Sports writer
