While other clubs are busy strengthening their teams in the Premiership, SuperSport United are quiet in the transfer market.
The club is taking a different approach by grooming youngsters instead of signing established players.
Coach Kaitano Tembo said they are tightening their budget and will rely on the services of academy players in the 2021/22 Premiership campaign.
The Tshwane giants were not busy in the 2020/21 transfer market either and promoted several of their academy players, and they will continue with the same approach in the new season.
The three-time league champions will play against Golden Arrows in the MTN8 quarterfinal at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on Saturday at 3pm without new faces.
Tembo said he would rely on senior players - Ronwen Williams, Thamsanqa Gabuza, Sipho Mbule, Teboho Mokoena, Siyabonga Nhlapo, and Bradley Grobler - to guide the youngsters. Keenan Phillips, 22, Gape Moralo, 21, Jamie Webber, 23, Luke Fleurs, 21, Jesse Donn, 22, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe, 22, Oswin Reagan,19, and Selaelo Rasebotja, 20, are some of the youngsters that the Zimbabwean mentor will throw into the deep end.
Last season, Matsatsantsa a Pitori lost senior players Clayton Daniels, Grant Kekana and Evans Rusike.
“We are taking a different direction considering what has been happening with Covid-19 pandemic. We have a limited budget and cannot spend money as we used to. We decided to promote young players and work with what we have – the talent from the academy. Everyone at the club is pulling in the same direction," said Tembo via a virtual press conference yesterday.
Tembo said he would be smart with man management to help his players not to burn out from fatigue.
“Our young players gained valuable experience last season, and we expect them to play a pivotal role now. They have one season under their belt already. We expect our youngsters to be better than last season. We expect progress from them. Sipho [Mbuli] and Teboho [Mokoena] did the same when promoted to the first team and are now part of the senior national team," he explained.
Tembo’s charges will visit an Arrows outfit that has a new coach in Lehlohonolo Seema. He described their last eight encounter as tricky against a team that ended their league campaign in fourth place last season.
“They changed a coach, but not their philosophy; they will still play their short passing game. It is going to be a tough game, but we are prepared and ready for it. We are eyeing the semis and we will give it our best shot,” said Tembo.
Even though it is quiet in the market, Tembo said they would still challenge for the league title and other top honours in the Premiership.
“We are an ambitious team and we will challenge for the league title. We have the right material to challenge for the league title. We have to be consistent, even though we lack depth. Mamelodi Sundowns have better depth and quality to win it, but we will be up there to challenge them and the other teams in the top five,” added Tembo.
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