Ajax Cape Town kick off their 2016-17 PSL season tomorrow with a road trip to Polokwane to take on promoted Baroka FC - but, as yet, head coach Roger de Sa is still pondering who will wear the No 1 jersey.
The departure of the regular goalkeeper, Finland’s Anssi Jaakkola, to Reading in the English Championship, has cleared the way for one of three promising youngsters to step in.
De Sa, a top goalkeeper during his playing days, has no doubt of the talent and potential of the trio - Brandon Petersen (21), Jody February (20) and Darren Johnson (19). But the decision as to who will assume the mantle as Ajax’s No 1 is giving the coach sleepless nights.
With Johnson only promoted to the Cape side’s PSL squad this season, he is likely to act as the third man in line, with De Sa likely to give the teenager time to adapt to the rigours and intensity of top-level football. And, so, it’s a flip of a coin between Petersen and February - De Sa rates both highly - and it’s certainly going to be rather interesting to see who he opts for tomorrow.
“The goalkeeping department is going to be really competitive this season,” admitted De Sa. “With Brandon, Jody and Darren in there, my job is not going to be easy!”
Strandfontein’s February was the catalyst that inspired the SA Under-23s to qualification for the Rio Olympics.
But then, when the event got under away in Brazil, he was demoted to the number two goalkeeper as the national selectors decided to rather utilise Kaizer Chiefs’ Itumeleng Khune as an over-age player.
“Obviously, he is disappointed at not playing, but he would have been consoled by the fact that the keeper selected played well. Jody is certainly suffering no bad after-effects of the Olympics,” said De Sa.
At the weekend, the Cape club announced their latest signing when they brought on board speedy 23-year-old winger Neo Makua, also from Wits.
This week’s PSL fixtures
Tuesday
Wits v Kaizer Chiefs; Baroka FC v Ajax Cape Town; Cape Town City v Polokwane City (Cape Town Stadium, 7.30pm); Chippa Utd v Free State Stars
Wednesday
Bloemfontein Celtic v Maritzburg Utd; Platinum Stars v SuperSport Utd; Orlando Pirates v Golden Arrows
Cape Times