Tim Sukazi reviews ‘very unusual’ season for TS Galaxy

The Rockets were languishing at the foot of the table then, eliminated from the MTN8 and dealing with a FIFA transfer ban. 

With one game to go, Beganovic has led Galaxy to fifth place and in line to deliver the club’s best topflight finish yet, and Sukazi credits the Bosnian mentor for rising above a challenging and “unusual” campaign that could have led to their demise. 

"We had a very unusual season, amazing at that, because, as you know, after the first six matches we were rock bottom of the log with two points," reflected Sukazi.

"And in a situation like that, usually at this level of the game, especially in this league which is so tough, you don't come back – but we did.

"At some point we were even hanging around third position, and we're still lying in position five, as you know. So, as unusual as it is, one needs to be grateful – it's not given that we were supposed to recover in the manner that we did.

"And, of course, changing a coach like Sead, bringing in 'Bega' who was his assistant, I got a lot of criticism – many said, 'Ja, he was an assistant, he'll do the same thing.' But I'm sure people have realised there were firm basis and reasons why we opted for Beganovic.

"From our point of view, we wanted continuity and that's what we saw – we had to continue from exactly where Ramovic had left it off."

In his overall assessment, Sukazi says he will be satisfied with a top-eight spot, considering how improbable that position seemed when Ramovic resigned in November. 

"We had a helluva run, now we're hitting a bit of a slump – well, maybe it's a better time to hit a slump when you're higher up in the top eight and it's late in the season, with matches almost over," he added.

"But, to be honest, I'm very satisfied because, after six matches when we had two points and rock bottom of the log, if you had asked me what it is that we desire, I would have said, 'We want to escape relegation,' and not necessarily be in the top eight.

"So now we find ourselves, with one match to go, still in the top eight and it looks like we'll end up in the top eight – I could never ask for more."

READ: Steve Barker: Race for top three will go down to the wire