City Coach Prioritizes League In Nedbank Cup Clash

Durban City coach Simo Dladla says his entire focus is to gain the Betway Premiership promotion and the Nedbank Cup they will field players who are not playing regularly. 

Dladla’s side will face amateur side Lerumo Lions in the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 at Olimpia Park Stadium on Saturday (15:00).

However, Durban City currently leads the Motsepe Foundation Championship and aims to solidify this position to ensure promotion at the end of the season.

“The message from the chairman (Farouk Kadodia) is simple: our bread and butter are the league,” said Dladla. 

“But for me as a coach I can’t coach players to go and lose the match. 

“Like I said, this is a good opportunity for the guys who naturally would have not have had as many minutes.  

“This is a perfect time to collect some minutes condition themselves and get ready when they get an opportunity in the league game for them to be ready.” 

This is not the first time Dladla has faced this situation. When Richards Bay was contending for promotion in the 2020/21 season, he attempted to juggle both competitions.

They initially showed promise, notably stunning Kaizer Chiefs in the first round. They subsequently defeated TS Sporting in the round of 16 and lost to Chippa United in the quarterfinals.

However, their focus shifted, and they ultimately finished third in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. Chippa United retained its status as Royal AM, one of three clubs participating in the mini-league, but chose not to compete.

Dladla acknowledges that his decision to prioritize the cup over the league four years ago was a mistake.

“If you recall three or four seasons ago, we were leading the Championship with Richards Bay,” he said.

“We were top of the table, but facing Chiefs and Chippa in the cup took its toll, and we ultimately underperformed. This experience serves as a valuable lesson, and we will strive to find a better balance and prioritize the league this time.”