CAPE TOWN - In the coming fortnight IOL Sport’s football writers will guide you through the upcoming PSL season, club by club.
Today, Zaahier Adams takes a look at Cape Town City
Coach: Eric Tinkler
The former Bafana Bafana hard man is part of the fabric of Cape Town City after leading the club in its maiden season in the top flight back in 2016. It was a successful season too, with Tinkler’s charges lifting the Telkom KO Cup. He has now returned to finish the job that was abruptly halted due to a lucrative move to SuperSport United. Tinkler will definitely bring a greater amount of steel to a City outfit that has gone soft over the last couple of years.
New Signings
Hugo Marques, Bongani Mpandle, Patrick Fisher, Darren Keet, Relebogile Mokhuoane, Nathan Idumba Fasika, Khanyisa Mayo, Douglas Mapfumo
Analysis
A club that possesses all the resources, talent and an innovative chairman in John Comitis needs to deliver more than they have over the past couple of seasons. Last year, under Dutch mentor Jan Olde Riekerink, was particularly disappointing with City playing arguably the most entertaining football in the country, but unable to pick up the points to mount any form of a title challenge. They now have former coach Tinkler back at the helm, and he has already promised that sometimes it's “ugly football” that gets the results. City have an abundance of skilful players in Thabo Ndoda, Thato Mokeke, Suprise Ralani, Fagrie Lakay, Mduduzi Mdantsane, Taariq Fielies, Craig Martin and Mduduzi Mdantsane that will ensure they never play a dull brand of football, with Tinkler basically providing them with a better structure and platform to express themselves. Coupled with a host of exciting new signings that can hopefully blend in quickly, this team has the potential if they manage to marry their attacking prowess with a new-found defensive base to launch a serious challenge for any of the trophies on offer this season.
Key Players
Mduduzi Mdantsane
There is a reason City have recently entrusted the high-profile No 10 shirt with Mdantsane. The dreadlocked midfielder was the club’s joint-highest goal scorer last season, and has already shown he wants to take it to the next level this year with a superb winner against AmaZulu over the weekend to power City into the MTN8 semis.
Abbubaker Mobara
City’s defensive woes have been well-documented and Mobara is keen to show that City are not just a bunch of pretty boys from the Cape. The Bafana Bafana international enjoys rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck in and doing the dirty work. The success of Mobara’s central defensive partnership with the ball-playing Fielies could hold the key to City’s entire season.
Hugo Marques
Peter Leeuwenburgh’s return to his homeland at the end of last season left a gaping hole at the back for City as the Dutchman had often single-handedly kept his team in matches with a string of superb saves. City made a bold signing with the capture of former Bafana No 1 Darren Keet, but a long-term injury has opened the way for Angolan international Hugo. A vastly-experienced keeper with over 1000 matches played in Europe, Hugo’s composure will bring a great deal of stability to City’s back four, which was already illustrated in the 2-1 win over AmaZulu on Sunday.
Predicted position
3rd
Last season
7th
@ZaahierAdams
