Sheppard plans to loan his stars to gain experience

Bidvest Wits MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC) trainer Dillon Sheppard is looking to send a number of his impressive troops on loan to the second-tier in January.

Wits have been in bullish form in the MDC this season, having gone 10 games without tasting a defeat. Prior to their Saturday 1-1 stalemate at home to SuperSport United, Sheppard's charges had amassed nine successive victories.

Wits' only loss came in the maiden game of the season when they were outshone 2-1 by inconsistent Polokwane City.

Players such as Cameron Carnell, Molahlehi Khunyedi, Rawan Human, Deon Horn, Jenovane September and Keenan Phillips, among others, have impressed so far.

"Most of our players have got to a good level now. I would like some of them to play at a higher level now…I'd like them to go out to the NFD [now known as the GladAfrica Championship] in January," said Sheppard.

"It might change for us in January. We've got seven boys in matric [the likes of Khunyedi, Mpho Mathebula, Phillips, Cuwen and Keagan Mitchell], so once they finish with their studies we can get them out on loan in the NFD, that's our main target."

The Wits coach attributes their success to their youth structures, having just promoted the likes of Junior Nare, Athenkosi Mcaba and Human, who has already netted nine goals thus far, from the under-17s to the Diski challenge side.

“We have belief in our academy; it's very strong, especially looking at the last three, four years when they've been winning junior competitions [referring to Gauteng Future Champs and Engine Knockout Challenge]. So it's continuity, we've been able to get one or two under-17 boys training with us in the MDC team, that's very important,’" stated Sheppard.

"In the next couple of months we will be integrating more youngsters, we've just promoted four boys from the Engine tournament. We are getting these younger boys into a competitive environment."

The Clever Boys top the Diski Challenge standings with 28 points, two ahead of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns and 24 ahead of bottom-placed Black Leopards after 11 matches.