Milano are Cape’s sole hope

Milano United have this season emerged as the Mother City’s sole hope of having a second team in the PSL.

Cape Town - Milano United have this season emerged as the Mother City’s sole hope of having a second team in the PSL, via promotion from the NFD. There is always the debate in Cape football that one team in the top-flight – Ajax Cape Town – is simply not enough. With the wealth of talent available in the city, the current scenario results in many top local players leaving to pursue a career up north. And that decision cannot be faulted because, in today’s professional era, players have to place their financial status above loyalty.

So, in order to retain the city’s young talent, it’s imperative for one of the five NFD sides to gain promotion to the PSL. This broadens the pool of opportunity for Cape footballers. Vasco da Gama and Chippa United have done so in recent years, but Vasco were relegated the very next season, while Chippa have relocated to Port Elizabeth.

The onus now is on Milano, Santos, Cape Town All Stars, Vasco and FC Cape Town to launch such a promotion drive. Sadly, since Chippa’s relocation, the quintet has flattered to deceive.

While this season has been no different, Milano have turned things around in sensational fashion and are now in a fantastic position to challenge for a promotion play-off spot. The play-offs involve the teams ending second and third on the NFD standings, as well as the team finishing second-last on the PSL log. The three clubs feature in a three-way round-robin, with the eventual group winner promoted to the PSL for next season.

With both the PSL and NFD taking a break for the international programme, and the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup after that, the NFD campaign only resumes on April 9.

As things stand, Baroka FC top the NFD standings with 49 points, followed by Highlands Park (45), Witbank Spurs (45), Milano (44), Royal Eagles (41) and Mbombela United on 40 points.

The other Cape sides are out of the race, with Cape Town All Stars in eighth position on 34 points, FC Cape Town 10th (25 points), Santos 11th (24) and Vasco in a lowly 13th position with 20 points.

When the NFD resumes in just over two weeks’ time, there will be seven games remaining, and Milano certainly have a lot to play for.

So let’s take a brief look at what the five NFD clubs have done so far this season:

MILANO UNITED

When Grassy Park-based Milano United defeated Black Leopards 2-1 in Blue Downs last week, it was their ninth victory from their last 10 games. Impressive, indeed! In the past, they used to fall away during the second half of the season – but, under the experienced hand of veteran coach Boebie Solomons, they’ve gotten better and stronger with every game. Milano are the form team at the moment. The squad is a good balance of youth and experience. Former Bafana Bafana defender Nasief Morris provides the leadership and guidance, while the addition of Coldrin Coetzee, who has played in the PSL for Platinum Stars and Free State Stars, has been inspirational for Milano.

The contribution of Junaid Sait, who has returned from a spell in Sweden with Falkenbergs FF a more mature footballer, has been crucial, while the goals have regularly flowed for ex-Santos striker, Gregory Roelf.

Sait is the son of former Santos, AmaZulu and Orlando Pirates midfielder Kamaal Sait.

CAPE TOWN ALL STARS

The early-season pacesetters have fallen away badly. All Stars’ devastating wobble can probably be attributed to the upheaval the club has experienced with regards to the coaching staff. The campaign commenced with former Pirates central defender Dan Malesela in charge and he brought a fresh, exciting approach to the Gugulethu side’s game. He, however, left to join Chippa United and things subsequently fell apart.

Former Ajax Cape Town assistant-coach Ian Taylor was roped in, but didn’t stay too long.

The new man in charge is Jerobeam Koert, who has previously been at FC AK and Chippa, and he is assisted by Aschwin Sutton, who has worked at Black Leopards, Sivutsa Stars, African Warriors and Blackburn Rovers.

But, right now, All Stars are too far off the pace to mount any challenge this season – and the new men at the helm can probably start preparing and building for the next campaign.

SANTOS

Once among the top teams in the PSL, Santos have struggled since their demotion to the NFD. With former Moroka Swallows coach Zeca Marques appointed at the beginning of the season, the mandate was to consolidate and rebuild. According to Marques, that process is on track. There has been improvement, the young squad is adapting to what is required, and he expects them to go well next season.

An example of the team’s recent improvement is the fact that Santos are the only Cape club still in the Nedbank Cup – and they are looking to use the tournament to remind everybody there’s still life in them.

VASCO DA GAMA

Vasco made no secret of their lofty ambitions after Mario Ferreira bought the club, but things certainly haven’t gone according to plan. This season, they’ve been unsettled by a raft of coaching changes. Tony de Nobrega got things going at the start of the season before he was axed and ex-club captain Keenin Lesch took the reins. Lesch has since been asked to act as assistant-coach, with former University of Pretoria head coach Sammy Troughton appointed to try to arrest the slide.

And, make no mistake, Vasco are in a precarious position. Relegation from the NFD would be disastrous for the Parow club – and Troughton certainly has an important role to fulfil if Vasco are to remain in the division.

FC CAPE TOWN

Right from the start of the current NFD season, FC Cape Town made it clear that they had no intention of challenging for promotion in the next two years.

Having just secured a hefty sponsorship from financial giant Investec for its youth academy, the Parow club was of the opinion that it needed time to focus on building from the bottom up. As players came through the ranks, it fully believed promotion would come in the future.

Dutch coach Pieter de Jong was supposed to play an integral role in that process, but he never even made it on to the FC Cape Town bench.

Problems with his work permit meant he never took up his position and technical director Craig Rosslee was in charge for a while.

Later Johnny Ferreira, who has coached at the Parow club before, was roped in and things have gone quite well. After languishing in the basement early season, they are in a comfortable mid-table position.

Cape Argus