Baroka FC coach Tlisane Motaung has shared his thoughts on the club’s inexperienced squad, which many believe was a major factor in their downfall and eventual relegation to the amateur ranks this season.
The Limpopo club was officially relegated to the SAFA ABC Motsepe League following a 3-0 loss to promotion-chasers Kruger United FC in a Motsepe Foundation Championship tie at the Mafori Village in Lebowakgomo on Sunday afternoon.
Baroka are one of the few clubs that have come through the SAFA Local Football Association [LFA] ranks to the Premiership level. However, they were demoted back from the Premiership to the National First Division [NFD] at the end of the 2021/22 season.
The club suffered yet another setback on Sunday, with their relegation from the second-tier league confirmed. There has been a strong view among the club’s supporters that one of their downfalls was signing too many inexperienced players.
This comes after the club lost experienced players such as Sydney Malivha, Ananias Gebhardt, and Tshepho Mashiloane. But Motaung has defended his club, saying they have always been a team that gives opportunities to unknown talent.
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“The reality of the matter is that the history of the club has always been to give an opportunity to unknown players,” Motaung told FARPost. “The club has always been like that. The vision of the chairman [Khurishi Mphahlele] has always been that. We are a club that gives inexperienced players an opportunity. Of course, it has always been the culture of the club and not only now.”
“Many players that Baroka produced came through that. If you look at [Evidence] Makgopa, many players didn’t know him. There are many,” he added.
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“So I am not in a position to criticise the vision and the mission of the club. But the reality of the matter is that we tried to get the team going, but it was difficult,” he continued.
“They gave their best, and the chairman gave his best in terms of trying to get the players. Obviously, when I arrived, some players that we wanted were attached somewhere.
“So it becomes difficult, and I wouldn’t really talk negatively about the culture of the club that has always been using that system. Giving players that unknown an opportunity, and those players have done well for the club and for themselves, and they went for bigger things.
“So I am not in a position to look at it at that point, though I still respect the opinion of the supporters. My view is that we need to look at the culture of the club and where it comes from and what it used to do.”
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