Barker On The Difficulty Of Competing With Sundowns’ Player Power
Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has expressed the difficulties of competing with Mamelodi Sundowns due to their ability to sign the best players, however, he noted that it’s every team’s responsibility to find ways to challenge them.
Sundowns are well-known for having a financial advantage when it comes to signing players. This season, they acquired Arthur Sales from SK Lommel for an astounding R62 million.
Furthermore, they were also able to sign Jayden Adams and Igraam Rayners from Stellenbosch, who cemented their positions and established themselves as key, reliable figures for the Tshwane-based outfit.
Although Barker is aware of the reasons behind Sundowns’ signing the best players, highlighting their aspirations of competing in the Club World Cup, he finds it challenging to stop them from dominating. In their 20 head-to-head matches, Sundowns have won 14 of them, Stellenbosch has won four, and they have drawn two.
Additionally, Sundowns is participating in continental competition each season and is currently in the CAF Champions League final.
“It’s very difficult to stop a team like that,” said Barker.
“I mean if you put us in our situation you know, our best sort of players from the last season, Jayden and Igraam have come here so when you sort of trying to close the gap between yourself and another team, you know they can sign the best players, it then does almost feels like it becomes almost impossible task, but we can’t see it like that you know.
“When a new season starts, we have to go with the belief and hope that we can challenge, and we have to find sort of ways to close that gap. It’s not their responsibility, I keep saying it.
“Everyone says yeah but Sundowns, but that’s their ambitions, they want to be playing at the highest level in the Club World Cup, it’s our sort of responsibility to find ways to close the gap, but yeah right now they do look very dominant,” he added.
Sundowns won the league on Sunday when they beat Chippa United 3-0 with a game to spare, their eighth successive title and 14 overall in the PSL era.
