Cape Town Spurs will undoubtedly feel there is a level of momentum with them after being the first team not to concede a goal in the PSL promotion/relegation playoffs en route to being promoted to the Premiership last season, but they will know the top flight is a different beast altogether.
As with any club who are promoted, the focus will be on survival, and it will be no different with Spurs.
But with a coach in legendary Bafana Bafana striker Shaun Bartlett who has seen and done it all, Spurs will give it more than just a good go in their first season back in the top flight in five years. They were previously Ajax Cape Town.
“I’ve said it before: as a player, I was always competitive, and as a coach, nothing’s going to change. I know, obviously people think that we might be lingering at the bottom,” Bartlett said at the team’s training base, Ikamva, in Parow yesterday.
“But I think the success we had last season, we can carry over to this season. Always believe that the start will give you a good foundation. And we’ve got to make sure, obviously, we have a good start against (TS) Galaxy on Sunday.”
Unlike many other promoted teams, Spurs have opted not to raid the transfer market in a bid to maintain their elite status.
Instead, the club that once boasted the most successful development programme in South Africa have placed their trust in their own young players again, along with a select choice of veterans who have returned this season in captain Clayton Daniels, Nazeer Allie and Keagan Buchanan.
“I’ve always said, don’t go and sign because you have to sign. If you have enough players in your squad that can do the job, there’s no need to. The same thing goes for why you want to change things that are not broken. So for me, it doesn’t matter,” Bartlett said.
“We’ve kept continuity. Even the break that we had, I think, was long enough. We might have only had two weeks’ holiday, but it’s a plus for us because we didn’t have to do much with regards to fitness.
“The pre-season has been really good. I’ve been happy. The games we played, the performances are a good indication as to how we’re moving forward.”
After Sunday’s trip to Mbombela Stadium to face Galaxy in their Premiership opener, Spurs will host Sekhukhune United at Athlone Stadium before facing fellow newcomers Polokwane City.
@ZaahierAdams