Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker explained why he rates the MTN8 trophy higher any other PSL trophy.
For the second successive season Stellenbosch FC will be playing in the MTN8 final, their third final since gaining promotion to the top flight six years ago. The Cape Winelands side have since played the Carling Knockout Cup final and won it before losing the MTN8 final to Pirates last season.
Ahead of the final at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, Barker opened up on his desire to win the MTN8.
“Sometimes my honesty and openness, maybe play against me, but you can ask the club, you can ask the players,” Barker told the media.
“The day we got promoted to the PSL, I said to the players that the best trophy to win in the season is the MTN8 because you’ve earned it.
“It’s not easy to get into the top eight, especially when we started in the PSL and I’ve told them I’ve always had a dream and a vision personally to lift this trophy.
“So personally, my desire to lift the MTN8 is higher than any other trophy, I believe that lifting the MTN8 is just really special. So I have a vision. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. I’ve wanted it, and I’m sure the players are on the same mission as me is to go there and to just really go and play with our hearts on our sleeves.
“Do things differently. Be brave, be courageous, go. We do know that if you don’t defend well against a team like Pirates, it’ll be difficult, so we’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re not going there to make up numbers.
“There are two teams left, one and last team standing, and we’re going to give it our best to be that team that lifts the trophy and brings it back to the Western Cape. I think we deserve to just lift the mood in the Western Cape around football.
“So bringing back a trophy will be really awesome, and hopefully we won’t just have Stellenbosch supporters, but we’ll have the whole Western Cape type and everybody else who doesn’t support Pirates behind us.”
