Durban City FC interim coach Pitso Dladla has downplayed the significance of ending a 17-year trophy drought for a KwaZulu-Natal club after clinching the Nedbank Cup.
City, who gained promotion to the elite league at the end of last season, claimed their first domestic Cup after a 2-1 win over TS Galaxy at New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
The last time a team from KZN had won a domestic Cup was in 2009 when Golden Arrows, under the guidance of Manqoba Mngqithi, beat Ajax Cape Town 6-0 in the MTN8 Final.
WHY THE KZN TROPHY DROUGHT WAS A NON-FACTOR FOR PITSO DLADLA
But Dladla says club chairman Farook Kadodia had cautioned them against thinking of the drought before the match.
“To us, it is think if we looked at it that way we would have put ourselves under unnecessary pressure,” he said.
DURBAN CITY COACH PROUD OF HISTORIC NEDBANK CUP TRIUMPH
“To say it has been 17 years and no team from KZN has won the League or Cup. But with the leadership we have, it’s only now that I am realising it. Our chairman [Farook Kadodia] was advising us that we must not look at that.
“We must treat this Cup final in isolation because that would bring pressure that maybe we would not be able to control.”
“But the Cup I would say it means a lot to the team, Durban City, because of several reasons. One being a newly promoted team,” added Dladla.
“We have just revived the name Durban City and just relocated to Durban. Yes, KZN has been having a drought in terms of the Cup, but it’s something that means a lot to everyone in KZN.
“But not necessarily because of 17 years. It’s more about what is happening currently and all those things that I have mentioned.”
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