Stan Matthew doesn't see Supersport winning the league anytime soon

Club chief executive Stanley Matthews doesn’t see his team registering their fourth league triumph in the PSL any time soon. Photo: Aubrey Kgakatsi/BackpagePix

Club chief executive Stanley Matthews doesn’t see his team registering their fourth league triumph in the PSL any time soon. Photo: Aubrey Kgakatsi/BackpagePix

Published May 14, 2020

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Supersport United once dominated the Absa Premiership under the tenure of Gavin Hunt a decade ago but they have struggled to replicate that form.

Instead, they have developed a reputation as cup specialists.

Club chief executive Stanley Matthews doesn’t see his team registering their fourth league triumph in the PSL any time soon.

“It’s been long since we’ve won the league but we are a small club. It is going to be even a longer time,” he said.

“The league requires a squad of players that can go 30 games. If we pull it off again, it will be more as Leicester City did than as a Manchester City. We are realistic about that. We all dream of winning the league but from the 16 of us that start the season, I can say that there’s 10 of us that say, ‘no, we are not going to win the league’. We can have it in our heart but if we set it as an expectation, it will hurt us,” Matthews said.

“We always want to set realistic targets for ourselves. If we achieve them, great, but you can’t saddle people with something that’s a bridge too far.

“We don’t have the resources to compete for 30 games. If we do it, we will be doing it incrementally by assembling a group of young, talented players. The way the likes of Real Madrid or Manchester City do it is never going to happen at SuperSport. Not at this time,” Matthews stated.

SuperSport are in the title race although they have played more games than the other title chasers.

“In two years’ time, maybe when the market is different and my board says we are throwing money at the club again. That’s not what I see. What I see is a period of consolidation and holding on to our targets and avoid punching above our weight - be competitive, be a top eight side and maybe a top four side and then we know we are stretching ourselves,” Matthews added.

SuperSport haven’t finished in the top four since the departure of Hunt, who left the club in 2013 to join Bidvest Wits.

“If we can be in the top four, that’s still a target for these remaining six games. Kaitano (Tembo) knows he can be the first coach since (Hunt) to put us in the top four - that will be a good benchmark for him and the team and then we can say we are one of those six teams with an outside chance and dream. What is realistic is top four or top five and challenging for cups, which we’ve done,” Matthews explained.

@minenhlecr7 

The Mercury

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