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University of Pretoria utility player Abel Mabaso says there is growing belief within the squad that they can meet the objectives of their three-year promotion project under coach Kwanele Kopo.
The AmaTuks mentor revealed two weeks ago that the club’s board had mapped out a clear pathway to the Betway Premiership, combining the recruitment of experienced players with a commitment to preserving the club’s identity and ethos.
One of the senior figures in the dressing room, Mabaso is confident the blueprint is both realistic and achievable.
"I feel we are in the foundation phase; we are building also with the players and getting to know each other, as well as the coaches and the rest of the technical team. We have assembled a good team, a balance of experienced and young players who are still hungry and want to do well for themselves," said Mabaso
AmaTuks are through to the round of 16 in the Nedbank Cup and although winning the competition isn’t part of the mandate, Mabaso says they can’t shy away from having a rich history in the tournament.
The former Orlando Pirates man weighed in on playing in the second tier of SA football, where the perception is that it’s dog-eat-dog.
"I think sometimes a lot of people have the wrong perception that it's just about fast running. There are a lot of technical players in that league, and I think sometimes we overestimate that its physical – there are guys who actually play good football. We are very fortunate to have players plying their trade in the second division playing well. My adjustment has simply been to keep things the same – the same professional approach and that has helped me."
AmaTuks will host Sekhukhune United on Sunday in the cup and Mabasa is excited to see what two highly-rated local coaches in Kopo and Eric Tinkler will offer.
