The Tornado team was in a jovial mood yesterday as they travelled up to Polokwane for a week-long training camp ahead of the National First Division play-offs set to be battled out early next month.
[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" size="large" ids="217957,217958,217959,217960"]
Unfortunately not every player at the club was able to make the travelling squad.
One of those players is Siphe Ngexe, 28, who has made one appearance for the Mdanstane-based outfit in the 2017-18 third-tier league season and is currently on standby just in case anything happens to number one goalkeeper Phuti “PhutiMinaj” Lekoloane and second-man Shaun Mamathela.
Although the Qokolweni-born shot-stopper didn’t make the cut, he still rallied behind his “on-from teammates” claiming they might just take everyone by surprise.
“We have a big chance of winning these play-offs, because Tornado has a lot of hard workers, players who can really work hard for what they want,” said Ngexe.
“Players who know their situation and what they want in life. Because we have a lot of experienced players and that will help the young guys when push comes to shove.”
Ngexe said that one of the team’s strongest points was the unity among the players, hence they were able to win the league in record time – with more than three games on hand to finish on 73 points after 26 games played.
“Anything that we do – we do as a team because the level of unity is at an all-time high and that will help us a lot during this tournament.
“The team spirit before the team left would assure you if you were staying behind like me that nothing will stop them from gaining this much needed promotion. Because we knew that we could win the league.”
Taking each game as a cup final was Tshepo Motsoeneng’s approach to each match, said Ngexe and healthy competition was another strong factor of the team.
“The guys who get chances to play make sure they fight for their position in the squad, showing the coach that they also deserve a chance to play and I’m banking on those young players also to surprise the country.
“Like during games in the league, the coach would change the squad and leave out the regulars, but still we would win or even sometimes do even better than before.
“Because not all the players have top-flight football experience, but those ones that do have it know what the coaches and chairman want for the team,” said Ngexe.
He said he fully supported the entire squad and he was not bitter about the decision to leave him behind and he would serve the team any time he’s called up.
“We didn’t send cowards to Limpopo – we sent men that know what we expect from them – and those men will defend our pride as a province.”
On the road yesterday Tornado team manager Simphiwe Magongo said the players were excited to arrive in Polokwane.
“The guys are all ready to jump and do their jobs and we are working to make [sure} that they have everything they need in order to perform throughout this tournament.”
Tornado set to storm to new heights
[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" size="large" ids="217957,217958,217959,217960"]
Unfortunately not every player at the club was able to make the travelling squad.
One of those players is Siphe Ngexe, 28, who has made one appearance for the Mdanstane-based outfit in the 2017-18 third-tier league season and is currently on standby just in case anything happens to number one goalkeeper Phuti “PhutiMinaj” Lekoloane and second-man Shaun Mamathela.
Although the Qokolweni-born shot-stopper didn’t make the cut, he still rallied behind his “on-from teammates” claiming they might just take everyone by surprise.
“We have a big chance of winning these play-offs, because Tornado has a lot of hard workers, players who can really work hard for what they want,” said Ngexe.
“Players who know their situation and what they want in life. Because we have a lot of experienced players and that will help the young guys when push comes to shove.”
Ngexe said that one of the team’s strongest points was the unity among the players, hence they were able to win the league in record time – with more than three games on hand to finish on 73 points after 26 games played.
“Anything that we do – we do as a team because the level of unity is at an all-time high and that will help us a lot during this tournament.
“The team spirit before the team left would assure you if you were staying behind like me that nothing will stop them from gaining this much needed promotion. Because we knew that we could win the league.”
Taking each game as a cup final was Tshepo Motsoeneng’s approach to each match, said Ngexe and healthy competition was another strong factor of the team.
“The guys who get chances to play make sure they fight for their position in the squad, showing the coach that they also deserve a chance to play and I’m banking on those young players also to surprise the country.
“Like during games in the league, the coach would change the squad and leave out the regulars, but still we would win or even sometimes do even better than before.
“Because not all the players have top-flight football experience, but those ones that do have it know what the coaches and chairman want for the team,” said Ngexe.
He said he fully supported the entire squad and he was not bitter about the decision to leave him behind and he would serve the team any time he’s called up.
“We didn’t send cowards to Limpopo – we sent men that know what we expect from them – and those men will defend our pride as a province.”
On the road yesterday Tornado team manager Simphiwe Magongo said the players were excited to arrive in Polokwane.
“The guys are all ready to jump and do their jobs and we are working to make [sure} that they have everything they need in order to perform throughout this tournament.”
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