Staff Reporter.
Swallows FC will be able to measure just how well they have done in pre-season preparations when they take on Orlando Pirates in their MTN8 quarterfinal on Saturday, said coach Brandon Truter.
The Soweto rivals clash at the Orlando Stadium at 6pm on Saturday.
“It’s a big occasion for us as Swallows FC, participating in the MTN8 this season. It’s also something to look forward to. The training matches and friendly games do not have the same edge as a competitive match so it will be very interesting and very informative in terms of where we are now,” Truter told a press conference on Wednesday.
“It is a curtain raiser before the league kicks off so it will tell us where we are in terms of competition and our planning and our readiness as well.
“Going up against Orlando Pirates is a big task. They are a good measuring tool as well because they are one of the big boys in the league and this are the kind of teams you want to compete against. It’s the best eight teams in the league in this competition. It’s going to be a very good match, that I can promise you. Both teams want to play football and are tactically sound as well,” he added.
Swallows will sport a new look to their line-up after losing five players to Kaizer Chiefs, including defender Njabulo Ngcobo, midfielder Given Thibedi and left back Sifiso Hlanti.
“It’s a bit like starting all over again. We’ve lost key players who performed in the starting XI last season, so in that regard losing five key members puts you on the back foot, “said Truter.
“It will be a new team but in terms of the tactical stuff and the playing style we have a certain amount of arrogance here where we do not change. We are not scared to say this is how we will play. We have our style, we have our mindset and we are not going to stand back for anybody this season.
“But I think the players we’ve brought in during the transfer window are direct replacements. I’m anxious to see the new boys come in because I think we’ve replaced those who have left with real quality. We want to improve, that’s the objective set out by players and the technical staff, not just the management. We have no doubt that the new players can perform at that level, if not better,” the coach added.
Meanwhile there might have much churn at Swallows FC over the last weeks with players coming and going but that does not fool Orlando Pirates coach Jozef Zinnbauer, whose side meet them in the MTN8 quarterfinal at the weekend.
“Swallows have a lot of new players but I think their coach has his starting line-up in his head and he has options. I think it’s a little bit open and we’ve prepared the players to expect one or two different approaches against us,” said Zinnbauer.
“They have a strong team even though they’ve lost a lot of players and they’ve got good quality for the season. But we also have.
“Our preparations have gone in a good direction but we are not yet finished. We worked on integrating the new players first and now we have moved forward to the next phase and the players have done this well. We will see what happens on Saturday but it’s a home game and we expect a win,” added Zinnbauer.
“We won the title last season and like the other clubs in the top eight we want to win it again.
Pirates’ supporters can also expect that there will be changes to their side after pre-season marketplace activity.
“Last week we tried to use some of the new players in a friendly game and we changed a few things. Competition for places is open as we have not yet finished the pre-season,” he said.
“I see the MTN8 as part of the pre-season. Normally only after your second or third league game can you consider it finished, especially as we have a lot of players in our squad at the moment and we have to give them all a chance. For me the MTN8 is not the starting line-up for the next weeks. We have a lot of good players, some of them need a little bit more time. There is now good competition in the squad and for places in the starting line-up.”