Obinna Okafor aims to take the battle to Mthatha Bucks when his side Witbank Spurs visits Amatholamnyama for their NFD encounter at Mthatha Stadium today.
Amatholamnyama have not yet conceded on home soil but the seasoned coach said his team will take the fight to Ian Palmer’s side when they meet.
Okafor said he was relying on the whole team to do what they do best on the field and did not want to single out players as “individuals don’t make a team”.
“I still believe in the combinations we started with in this season’s games where they played three games and won one then drew two.
“Bucks is a very good team and I know their coach Ian. I was close with him since the days he was coaching Maritzburg United so I have been around him and I’ve monitored how he coaches.
“He’s a very good coach, he’s a ball playing coach and with the knowledge I have about him helped me plan our game around him.”
Bucks captain Siya Mngoma, who has been with Amatholamnyama for two seasons now, said they were prepared to defend their unbeaten run at home as they have not conceded at home.
The former Golden Arrows goalie was confident about his side’s game plan more especially since they were the hosts.
“We have a common goal of winning every game we play and the team spirit we have allows us to be able to achieve what we set our sights on every time we play.
“The team has new and young talent as we just signed 17 new guys this season but the good thing about them is that they are an experienced bunch that can really play.”
Okafor said he would force Bucks to play where they want them to play as that was his strategy going into this game.
“We are not targeting any of his players we will just play our game and they will play the way we want them to.
“Spurs usually adopt a 3-4-3 formation but we are prepared for anything as there are no certainties in the game.
“Because I can prepare for our usually style but then again comes tomorrow and a player gets sick and we would have to change. So we prepared multiple formations because that’s the dynamics of the team bearing in mind that none of my strikers have scored this season.”
Okafor said losing Joshua Sauls to Royal Eagles was blow to the team as the brilliant player was one of the team’s top goalscorers last season but the side was still solid.
“Regardless of what happened, we are not going to stick on one player, as long as we get new combinations in the club.
“So we have tried to come up with something else that is better than what we had because it’s about the team and not about individuals.”
The former Cape Town All Stars mentor said everyone in his team has to be afforded an opportunity to prove themselves.
“Because in football luck might fall on anyone, if a defender goes for a corner-kick and he has the right mind-set he can score. We have the mentality to play good soccer and at the same time go forward if there are no injuries.”
Spurs to unleash all their firepower
Amatholamnyama have not yet conceded on home soil but the seasoned coach said his team will take the fight to Ian Palmer’s side when they meet.
Okafor said he was relying on the whole team to do what they do best on the field and did not want to single out players as “individuals don’t make a team”.
“I still believe in the combinations we started with in this season’s games where they played three games and won one then drew two.
“Bucks is a very good team and I know their coach Ian. I was close with him since the days he was coaching Maritzburg United so I have been around him and I’ve monitored how he coaches.
“He’s a very good coach, he’s a ball playing coach and with the knowledge I have about him helped me plan our game around him.”
Bucks captain Siya Mngoma, who has been with Amatholamnyama for two seasons now, said they were prepared to defend their unbeaten run at home as they have not conceded at home.
The former Golden Arrows goalie was confident about his side’s game plan more especially since they were the hosts.
“We have a common goal of winning every game we play and the team spirit we have allows us to be able to achieve what we set our sights on every time we play.
“The team has new and young talent as we just signed 17 new guys this season but the good thing about them is that they are an experienced bunch that can really play.”
Okafor said he would force Bucks to play where they want them to play as that was his strategy going into this game.
“We are not targeting any of his players we will just play our game and they will play the way we want them to.
“Spurs usually adopt a 3-4-3 formation but we are prepared for anything as there are no certainties in the game.
“Because I can prepare for our usually style but then again comes tomorrow and a player gets sick and we would have to change. So we prepared multiple formations because that’s the dynamics of the team bearing in mind that none of my strikers have scored this season.”
Okafor said losing Joshua Sauls to Royal Eagles was blow to the team as the brilliant player was one of the team’s top goalscorers last season but the side was still solid.
“Regardless of what happened, we are not going to stick on one player, as long as we get new combinations in the club.
“So we have tried to come up with something else that is better than what we had because it’s about the team and not about individuals.”
The former Cape Town All Stars mentor said everyone in his team has to be afforded an opportunity to prove themselves.
“Because in football luck might fall on anyone, if a defender goes for a corner-kick and he has the right mind-set he can score. We have the mentality to play good soccer and at the same time go forward if there are no injuries.”
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