In the coming fortnight IOL Sport’s football writers will guide you through the upcoming PSL season, club by club.
Today, Zaahier Adams takes a look at Stellenbosch FC.
Coach
Steve Barker
New signings
Junior Mendieta (permanent deal), Waseem Isaacs, Fuad Johnson and Antonio van Wyk
Analysis
Stellenbosch FC are certainly a club that has set its stall on a lengthy stay in the Premiership, but after two seasons in the top flight they are finding just how tough it is to retain their elite status.
The lack of quality depth within their squad is a major obstacle as they discovered last season when they scored just one penalty in their final 10 games. They do, however, play an entertaining brand of football when in form. Hopefully, with two seasons of top-flight experience, their game management will be better this coming season.
An exodus of senior players such as Phathutshedzo Nange, Asavela Mbekile and Constantino Christodoulou has not helped the situation, but the club has at least managed to extend the contracts of core trio Granwald Scott, Robyn Johannes and Marc van Heerden.
Their start to the 2021-22 campaign will be imperative to how they fare this season with Orlando Pirates, TS Galaxy, Sekhukhune United, Cape Town City and Chippa United lying in wait for their first five matches.
Key players
Junior Mendieta
The Argentine is a high-quality playmaker who has attracted the attention of both Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns during the current transfer window. Stellenbosch have done unbelievably well to extend Mendieta’s contract, scaring off Chiefs, but whether it’s enough to stop Sundowns’ advances is a different question altogether.
Stanley Dimgba
The former Nigerian international has been in prime pre-season form, scoring against both Cape Town City and Cape Town Spurs in a couple of friendlies, and his calmness up front will be crucial for Stellies this season.
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Leletu Skelem
The SA Under-23 international missed out on selection to the Tokyo Olympics and has reportedly seen a move to Chiefs fall through. With all these distractions now in the past, Skelem can focus solely on building a career at Stellenbosch and repay the faith in a club that first spotted him while playing for the SA U20s in 2018.
Predicted position
12th
Last season
14th
@ZaahierAdams
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