By ZINGISA MVUMVU
THE stage was too big and the players could not handle it.
That is why the University of Fort Hare failed to rise to the occasion in their inaugural match against Central University of Technology (CUT) of the annual Varsity Football league season, according to their head coach Charles Hanyani.
The capacity crowd at the Davidson Stadium in Alice and the attention SuperSport drew to the game by screening it live “drowned” the UFH players, believes Hanyani. As such, UFH’s match was a “total mess” technically and tactically.
Hanyani said: “We have never played at this stage, such a big crowd and we could not adapt.
“For us it all went wrong on the mental state because of the crowd, the live broadcast which I believe are the main things that drowned my players.
“We had worked hard with the institution’s psychology department to prevent such pressure but the players still had to implement and the stage just proved too big for them.”
Hanyani says what will define their destiny is how they get up and charge forward with the competition still far from over. “After all this was our very first match in the competition, so I am not too worried.”
Tactically, admitted Hanyani, UFH approached the match wrongly but it was all due to outside issues as alluded to them. “I cannot even say that our attack was better than our defence or vice versa because it was a total mess overall since we played like complete strangers.”
Hanyani conceded that a lot of work needed to be done to work his players mentally if their fortunes are to change anytime soon.
Of importance would be how UFH teach themselves on how to prioritise and focus on the process of getting positive results instead of thinking about results first.
All that they will have to do quick and fast within their next two matches against North West University next Monday and Tshwane University of Technology.
This because their toughest encounter yet awaits come August 8 when they collide with defending champions University of the Western Cape.
According to the UFH coach, they are well aware of what lies ahead of them, adding that besides the mental fitness they have a duty to polish, maintaining physical fitness will equally be paramount.
UFH currently lie seventh of eight teams on the Varsity Football season 2016 log-standings.
At the summit of the table after the first round of matches are UJ on three points, followed by CUT in second place with the same points and TUT who are also on three.
UWC also did not have the best of starts after playing to a one-all stalemate against the University of Pretoria.
As such, they find themselves in fourth place with a single point with Tuks just below them while Wits come in at position six.
Rooted rock bottom is NWU which sets the stage for the battle of the strugglers when they lock horns with UFH. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za