CAPE TOWN – Stellenbosch FC captain Sage Stephens believes the club’s hard work during a lengthy preparation period has put them in a strong position ahead of Wednesday’s Betway Premiership clash against Golden Arrows in Umlazi.
The Cape Winelands outfit will travel to the King Zwelithini Stadium to face Arrows, looking to build on their recent positive result against Marumo Gallants and continue their push up the table.
With the squad having had valuable time between fixtures, Stephens says the team has used the period effectively, with the intensity of training helping the players prepare for another demanding encounter.
“Preparations have been very good. Like everyone knows, we’ve had a lot of time to prepare,” said Stephens.
The Stellenbosch captain believes the extended preparation has allowed the coaching staff to work closely with the squad and sharpen their tactical approach.
“No games every three days, so I think the coaches put us through our paces. Intensity was very high, training, planning for the game has been superb. I think the guys are ready for the game on Wednesday and coming off a good result in the past game against Gallants,” he said.
Confidence is also growing within the Stellenbosch camp. Despite collecting fewer points than they would have hoped from their opening three matches, the team’s attacking output has provided encouragement.
“There’s a lot of confidence in the camp. Like I said, the team’s been, throughout the whole pre-season, we’ve been working very hard and it shows with our performances,” he adds.
“Though we haven’t picked up as many points as we would have liked in the past three games, but scoring six goals in two games, it just shows the work that goes on behind the scenes.”
For Stephens, however, the challenge is to ensure that the team finds the right balance between their attacking threat and defensive solidity.
“The boys up front are doing very well. I just think we need to balance that a little bit at the back but as I said, it’s work in progress.”
Image: Stellenbosch FC
