Ajax looking to kick start their season again

Ajax Cape Town coach Stanley Menzo shouts orders to his team from the touchline. Photo: BackPagePix

Ajax Cape Town coach Stanley Menzo shouts orders to his team from the touchline. Photo: BackPagePix

Published Oct 21, 2017

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After yet another slow start to the season, Ajax Cape Town are in need of a serious injection of resolve and determination. 

Perhaps what is required is for the rest of the squad to follow the example and attitude of right-back Rheece Evans.

The 26-year-old was gutted after the midweek defeat to Free State Stars in Bethlehem. 

Having come to the Mother City on an 18-month loan from Mamelodi Sundowns, the defender was stoked to be part of a club such as Ajax. But, as he says, right now he just isn’t seeing enough fight from his team.

Ajax are back in action tonight when they host Bloemfontein Celtic in a PSL fixture at the Athlone Stadium (kick-off 8.15pm) - and Evans has made it abundantly clear to his teammates that there is no room for error. 

There is no other way, this is a fixture that has to be won.

“I’ve been very disappointed with the last couple of results,” said Evans. 

“We’ve lost back to back and I really don’t want to adopt this losing mentality. I am trying everything I can to make sure that we don’t concede the silly, schoolboy errors as we have.

“Against Free State Stars, the guys didn’t come to the party. We only started fighting when we went 2-0 down, only then did you see players popping up all over field and looking like they wanted to play.

“The game against Celtic (on Saturday) is a must-win. We have to go to war, we are at home and we can’t lose this game. We can play pretty football, the Ajax way, or we can play dirty football. But it doesn’t matter what style we play; we have to grind a result. 

“As players, we have to realise that we are not in a good position on the log, so we have to get the three points. We have to come to the party against Celtic, and we have to make sure that we climb the log to get to a position where we deserve to be.”

Evans is originally from Durban - but, as a teenager, he came down to Cape Town to study at Varsity College and ended up playing for Lansdowne-based Santos’ Under-19 team.

Rheece Evans wants more effort from his team. Photo: BackPagePix

He wasn’t taken up in the Cape club’s professional squad and returned home to Durban, where he linked up with amateur side Villa Park. 

Spotted by Maritzburg United, he was signed and made quite an impression in the PSL, eventually landing a high-profile transfer to Mamelodi Sundowns.

But, like so many players, game-time was limited at Sundowns, which is why he joined Ajax on loan to get his career back on track. 

Injury was to initially curtail his progress at the Cape club, but he is back playing now - and all he wants is a great deal more commitment from the players on the field.

“I’ve enjoyed being back in the starting team,” said Evans. 

“I was out for a long time with injury, and I’m now enjoying every minute of it on the field. It has been a long, tough road to get back, especially with my fitness. But I’m getting fitter and more confident with every game.”

@Reinerss11

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