All Stars coach reveals game plan for Orlando Pirates’ Nedbank Cup clash
"What we'll tell our players is to have freedom on Saturday, express themselves."
All Stars coach Sinethemba Badela has revealed how his side will approach the Nedbank Cup last 32 clash against Orlando Pirates.
The plan the All Stars tactician, Badela is to cause an upset by beating the Soweto giants on Saturday, 11 February at the Wits Stadium in Johannesburg.
The Nedbank Cup is known as a cup of underdogs, where teams from the lower divisions rise to the occasion and stun the big guns in the DStv Premiership.
This season’s competition is no different from the previous ones.
ABC Motsepe League side Dondol Stars FC have already slayed one giant already. They defeated Gavin Hunt’s team SuperSport United 2-1 on Wednesday evening in Tshwane.
All Stars, competing in the Motsepe Foundational Championship will be hoping to join Dondol Stars and become one of the minnows to take down a Premiership side.
HOW ALL STARS AIM TO APPROACH PIRATES TIE
According to coach Badela, their game plan is to take the game to Pirates, fight pound-to-pound because both teams play the same style of football.
“Pirates is a big team, we going to have to fight, fight for possession. What we’ll tell our players is to have freedom on Saturday, express themselves, that’s the most important thing for us and we have to be brave,” Badela told the media.
“We are a team that keeps the ball, passes the ball; we have to do the same. But it’s going to be more difficult. We have to fight to play because we can’t all of a sudden tell them we don’t want the ball anymore.
“Pirates were playing more on transition, but now with a three-man midfield they are able to keep the ball a lot more.
“We are going to have to work very hard without the ball. It’s not like in the Championship, where most of the games we dominate and get the ball,” added the All Stars mentor.
WHY ALL STARS NEED TO ELIMINATE FEAR
Badela revealed one element he must address to his boys so they play to the best of their ability.
“We have to eliminate fear and how we do that, it’s preparation it eliminates fear. Prepare well and make sure the players understand the game plan and get belief that we can compete,” he added.
“We have to play the match, not the occasion focus on the game plan and play as a team. When you look at results from Dondol, it gives us a little bit of motivation.”
Kickoff at Wits Stadium on Saturday is at 8pm.
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