Bloemfontein Celtic coach Mich d’Avray, said he had been impressed by what he has seen in the opening week of the Absa Premiership.
The former South African under-23 coach said he saw improvement in local soccer after he watched his side lose 1-0 against Mamelodi Sundowns in their first fixture at a chilly Free State Stadium on Sunday, and said this season would produce a tight, competitive league.
D’Avray returned to South Africa in June after spending 10 years in Australia where he had a lot of success with leading Australian club Perth Glory.
”Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates were beaten in their opening games. That was a surprise and there were others. I think this is going to be a topsy-turvy league this season,” he said.
Chiefs were shocked 2-1 at Loftus by last season’s relegation candidates, Thanda Royal Zulu at Loftus on Saturday night, while Pirates were sunk 1-0 by a fired-up Golden Arrows in Umlazi.
Celtic looked light in attack but D’Avray reckons he has solved that problem with the signing last week of Ugandan international striker Jeffery Serunkuma who plays alongside his countryman and new Celtic teammate, Timothy Batabaire, for the Cranes of Uganda.
”We now have his registration and all the paperwork is in order. He will be available for our next fixture which is away to Thanda Royal Zulu.”
D’Avray has one complaint and that is the two week break due to the international Fifa week where most countries are involved in African Nations Cup qualifiers. Bafana Bafana play Nigeria in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Said D’Avray: ”I would have loved to keep the momentum going and have a fixture this weekend.”
The only goal was netted in the seventh minute by Sundowns’s Surprise Moriri who crept in unmarked at the far post to head home the only goal of the match.
Said D’Avray: ”Sundowns are a quality side. But I was disappointed losing at home. But we will improve. There are plenty of positives for me to take home. The players showed a lot of fighting spirit, effort and commitment. Those are points I can work on.”
D’Avray said he was also pleased with his side’s fitness, but the biggest advantage the Brazilians enjoyed was the fact they had played eight competitive matches, including two African Confederations Cup fixtures, in the pre-season.
”We were rusty and it showed. The fact that Sundowns have played in so many competitive tournaments in the pre-season was a big plus for
them.”
D’Avray admitted he had a lot of work ahead. ”It is early days and I will be working hard in improving and making sure we start to pick up points. What I did not like was the way we gave Moriri a free header.
”He showed he is a quality player by making use of the space my defenders gave him. You simply cannot give a player like Moriri a free header in front of goal.
For Sundowns coach Trott Moloto it was business as usual. He has already guided the Brazilians into the final of the MTN 8 final in Durban on September 20 where they face Chiefs. With 12 new signings he
knows that nothing less than winning the league title will satisfy his ambitious billionaire owner Patrice Motsepe.
Platinum Stars got their season off to a winning start when they defeated AmaZulu 1-0 in Sunday’s other match played at the Princes Magogo Stadium in Kwa Mashu. – Sapa