Eastern Tigers' coach aims high

CHIPPA LEGODIMO
Correspondent | Tuesday June 3, 2008 00:00

The youthful mentor told Mmegi Sport he wants to improve on the position eight they achieved in their maiden season.

'All is not lost, we are out of the Coca-Cola Cup but we still have a chance to prove ourselves in another stage and I would be happy to finish at least among the top five,' Kgabanyane said.

Tigers have done fairly well in their first season in the First Division as they surprised many who had written them off when the season started. According to Kgabanyane, finishing eighth was exactly what they set out to achieve when the season started.

He has been with the team since its affiliation to the Kgatleng District Football Association in 2000 and believes he has what it takes to take them to greater heights.

'We had aimed to reach the First Division by 2010 but things worked for us quickly and I believe we can reach the Premier League by that time or 2012.

'I have to be realistic that our speedy progress should not fool us into thinking that the road will be easy, that is why I believe we still have two more seasons to play in the First Division before we can go to the Premier League.

'If it happens that we manage to get there (Premier League) at the end of the coming season then it will be a bonus, but we are not putting ourselves under pressure,' Kgabanyane said.

Kgabanyane says there are a lot of factors to consider before one can start thinking of campaigning in the elite league, adding that financially his team needs to be stable.

'You need resources to survive at the highest level.

'Apart from good players and a good coach, you need management that will be up to the task, otherwise you could end up a laughing stock,' he said.

Surprisingly as he plans for a strong team for the future, Kgabanyane says he would not be signing any experienced campaigners.

He says that he believes in working with younger players who are still hungry for success. 'I do not believe in experience, my young boys won the play-offs and beat some teams with experience in the First Division.

'It all depends on how you relate with your players. 'Experienced players tend to be big-headed especially when they play for smaller teams, they do not listen to the coach because they think they know better.

'But with young players you always get their attention and they deliver.

'I would rather develop them into polished gems myself instead of importing,' he said.

Regarding the next season, Kgabanyane revealed that he is going to sign only three players to beef up his squad.

'I have already identified those three players, two are development players while the other one is a little older, they are two strikers and a defender,' he said.

Kgabanyane believes that all one needs to gain promotion to the Premier League is win all the first round games and a few in the second round.

'Going into the second round leading the log obviously attracts a lot of attention, which is why you have to be serious about defending your lead. If you take the second round more seriously then you can achieve your goal, just make sure that you approach the remaining games with all your guns blazing,' he said.