'Why SuperSport United are top of the table'
'Why we are top of the table'
Posted: 2011-12-02 08:57
Not often do you see a bench with close to 100 international caps sitting there waiting to come on. But League leaders SuperSport United often have such a luxury.
Whether coach Gavin Hunt can use this depth in ability to win a fourth League title for the Tshwane club remains to be seen, but some of his players believe things are heading in the right direction.
Fresh from a 2-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs in Polokwane, Matsatsantsa are three points clear of Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the Premiership, yet players like Bryce Moon and Rowen Fernandez are remaining grounded.
"It's an honour to have seasoned professionals in our squad. It's good to be surrounded by them because most are older than me. I learn a lot from them," says Bryce Moon, a man with 18 Bafana Bafana caps to his name.
A few weeks back, when SuperSport played against Ajax Cape Town in the Mother City, Hunt sent his reserves on the night to warm-up and the experience on his bench was overwhelming.
Dipsy Selolwane, a veteran for Botswana, Fernandez (23 Bafana caps), Nasief Morris (37 Bafana caps), Mame Niang who has played for Senegal and Glen Salmon (3 Bafana caps) were the men on his bench that night.
"They know what is needed and our big strength is our squad rotation. We now have someone like Nasief [Morris] too, who really adds something to the list of players," Moon says.
"We know what to do for the title challenge, but we still need to apply this on the field."
Goalkeeper Fernandez has recently been playing a support role to 19-year-old Ronwen Williams who has found form and been given the opportunity to remain the starting keeper.
"Experience will always help a team out. Right now the team is doing well and riding a good wave. It's the responsibility of the more experienced players to keep the team headed in the right direction ... whether those players are playing or not they play a vital role within the team," Fernandez says.
"When things are going well it's easy to just brush small problems aside but when the wheels come off and there's a slip in form that's when the character of the experienced players will benefit the team.
"Gavin knows what he has at his disposal for his team and right now he has a good mix between youth and experience. Hopefully it's the mix that brings us success at the end of the campaign."
Consider that Morgan Gould has over 20 Bafana caps, Mogogi Gabonamong is a Botswana star, Sibusiso Zuma (67 Bafana caps) and that Anthony Laffor (Liberia) and Atusaye Nyondo (Malawi) are spearheading the attack – then you get a sense of the depth in this current side.
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