Pretoria – With four matches remaining in their debut top-flight season, University of Pretoria boss Steve Barker says they are not done yet, and are looking to rope in more victories before the end of the campaign.
Tuks were lying ninth in the league standings ahead of the weekend fixtures, one point behind Bloemfontein Celtic.
“It's not over yet. There are still four games and we're in a position where we can now with confidence say that we're in the mix for a top-eight position,” Barker said.
Such has been the success of the Pretoria side, that a legitimate challenge for a top-eight position has replaced earlier targets of surviving the dreaded relegation zone, and Barker believed next season could prove even more fruitful for his young troops.
“Hopefully next year we can kick on and perhaps one or two of those draws we could turn into victories,” he said.
“If we just turned two of those draws into victories, we would be in the top five.”
Tuks would be searching for nine points in their next three matches, according to Barker, before they face current leaders Kaizer Chiefs in their last fixture of the campaign.
They square up against Black Leopards, third last in the table, in Polokwane on Saturday, before they play Wits and log-bottom rookies Chippa United.
“I think our challenge in the next four games is that we're playing the two bottom teams on the log… Chippa and Black Leopards, and we play Wits and Chiefs.
“So those are the important games for us, we can't wait until we play a big game against Chiefs.
“We have to get results now in the next three games, which will then lay the foundation.
“Hopefully we go into the last game against Chiefs not needing anything and them not needing anything and it can be a celebration for both teams.”
Barker heaped praise on the University of Pretoria's support system, which he believed had aided AmaTuks in making a successful start in the country's top-tier.
“First and foremost, it's a foundation that was laid many years ago. There was a strategy in place to be in the PSL,” he said.
“From that strategy, plans were put into place that, when we do get promoted, we would be able to sustain our Premiership status.
“There was a vision from the university, and we've created an environment where players can reach their potential.” – Sapa