Moroka Swallows are starting to feel the strain of using Rustenburg’s Olympia Park as their home ground this season.
They face two testing weeks where they play their next three Absa Premiership fixtures at Olympia Park within seven days, starting with a showdown against Santos there on Wednesday night (7.30pm), followed by Free State Stars on Saturday. Next Wednesday they trek back to Rustenburg to play AmaZulu.
The problem is the Rand Stadium, which the Birds have used for years as a home venue, is under renovation and will be used as a training venue for the 2010 World Cup finals.
Birds’ assistant coach, Zeca Marques, admitted: ”We are like gypsies this season. There is no point complaining about the travelling from Jo’burg to Rustenburg as it worked for us in the first round when we played in Rustenburg every second week. But having to travel from Johannesburg to Rustenburg three times in the space of a week is tough.”
Marques said the players and coaching staff are living out of suitcases. ”We had a long five-hour drive to Bloemfontein last Wednesday where we got thumped 4-1 by Bloemfontein Celtic [at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium]. We arrived late the night before the game and never really got going in that game, although we did create a few decent chances.”
Marques said the setback would not affect their performance against Santos. ”The coach [Julio Leal] and his staff spoke to the players and they have all put the Celtic result behind them. To us that was a freak result. It is now history and we will move forward.”
But he said that the players would have to get used to more travelling during the next two weeks. ”It means an early start, sitting in a bus for over two hours, staying overnight on Wednesday and coming back at the weekend to do it all over again. And then we duplicate that the following Wednesday.”
Marques said it was important to get a home ground for next season.
”The club management are looking at possible venues for us to play at home. My personal choice would be going back to the Rand Stadium which we previously used as a home ground, or even the new look Orlando Stadium. That would also be ideal. But in the meantime we need to get back to winning ways if we are to stay in the chasing pack for the league.”
The Orlando Stadium, like the Rand Stadium, has undergone multimillion-rand renovations in order for it to be used as a training venue for next year’s World Cup finals.
Said Marques: ”Having a permanent home ground gives a club stability and security. But having said all that, we have done incredibly well this season without a proper home ground. We now know we can handle the pressure and this pressure has helped the side grow and bond as a unit.”
The Birds scored 2-1 wins over both their Soweto rivals, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, at Olympia Park earlier this month and Marques said the players must treat Santos and FS Stars as they would Chiefs and Pirates. ”Basically our remaining 10 fixtures are all cup finals.”
The Birds have 32 points with 10 matches remaining and are eight behind leaders SuperSport United with a game in hand.
We are not given up on the title race. But need to win both matches this weekend to stay in touch,” said Marques. — Sapa