Barker Exudes Confidence Ahead Of MTN8 Final
Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker expressed his team’s excitement and motivation ahead of the highly anticipated MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
Barker’s side has been on a remarkable run, beating AmaZulu in the quarterfinals and Sekhukhune United in the semifinals to reach the final.
“It’s not every season that you get into a final, so when you do, you have to take the opportunity,” Barker said.
“Getting into the MTN8 final is not easy. It starts the season before by getting yourself into the top eight in the league, which we did, and then we got past AmaZulu and a very good Sekhukhune United team to get ourselves into the final.”
Barker believes his team deserves to be in the final, having earned the right through their performances.
“We deserve to be here and have earned the right to be in the final, but it’s up to us now to make the most of this opportunity that has presented itself,” he said.
The former AmaZulu mentor noted that there’s a lot of anticipation, excitement, and energy among the players, which is typical of a cup final week.
“A cup final week is always a special week, and it is something that players, coaches, and clubs want to be involved in, competing to win trophies at the highest level,” Barker said.
Winning trophies is a significant part of any footballer’s dream, and Barker hopes to make that come true for his team.
“Winning trophies is part of any footballer’s dream, and hopefully we can make that come true,” he added.
“It’s 30 years since I won the BP Top 8 as a player, and hopefully I can now win it as the MTN8 as a coach as well.”
This will be the third time Barker’s side has reached the final of a domestic cup competition since their promotion to the Premier League.
In 2023, Stellies won the Carling Knockout tournament by beating TS Galaxy, and in 2024, they faced Pirates again in the MTN8 final but lost 3-1.
Stellies also had a notable achievement last season, reaching the semifinal of the CAF Confederation Cup in their first participation in the continental tournament.
