Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker is going to use his experience of losing a cup final more than a decade ago to try and guide his players for Saturday’s Carling Knockout decider against TS Galaxy at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Barker took the second tier University of Pretoria to the 2009 Nedbank Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Moroka Swallows and the experience of the day will be available almost 15 years late.
“Look, it was a different occasions and we had nothing really to lose going into the final against Swallows, you know, we were the underdogs,” Barker recalls of the match played at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg.
“We were a First Division team and that created a different hype. In life, you have setbacks and disappointments, which I had that day, but you got to learn and take those experiences and add to them. So I think in terms of that experience, plus obviously coaching many years after that, I can help. There's some players that haven't been in finals before, so it's just managing their feelings towards the game, and just making sure that we have a calm, but really focused week of preparation,” explained the Stellenbosch boss.
“There is an inner focus and an inner desire to win the trophy, but it's about managing it, preparing the team well, using my experience of the past experiences,” he added.
But Barker said the outcome of the trophy would be determined by the desire and passion on the day.
“Ultimately, it’s sometimes about the passion of just going on the field and making sure you walk off having won the game.”
Barker also says he is pleased with the afternoon kick off time for the final, rather than 6pm which has been the trend lately for finals in the Premier Soccer League.
“The whole day waiting till six can be a little bit difficult and leads to maybe a lethargic sort of play. You're sitting in around the rooms and waiting and waiting. So yeah, 3pm is nice. It's wake up, breakfast, have a little bit of a fresh walk outside and do a little bit of a final team talk after breakfast. Let the players go back to the room for an hour and a half before we get on the bus. And hopefully we'll have an escort and that already start arousing the players.
“Obviously playing at the coast is better for us,” he said of avoiding the high altitude of the Highveld.
“Whenever we do play in Durban, we've had some good results and good performances. I think that helps us too.”