Steve Barker is determined to cap Stellenbosch’s exceptional season so far in 2023 by winning their first-ever Carling Knockout Cup [CKO] title.
Stellenbosch are pencilled to take on TS Galaxy in the final to be staged at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It is exactly 14 years since Barker was last in the final of a domestic tournament. Few would have anticipated such a long wait for a coach who showed so much promise as a coach.
Barker’s last appearance at this stage was in 2009, when he reached the Nedbank Cup final as head coach at the University of Pretoria. They incredibly went to the final but sadly lost 1-0 to Moroka Swallows.
Simply put, it looks set to be a remarkable final for Stellies against TS Galaxy, who have held their own in this competition where they eliminated Mamelodi Sundowns.
STELLENBOSCH’S CKO AUSPICIOUS OCCASION
Barker has been at the Cape Town-based side for over six years, leading them to promotion from the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
The steady gaffer said the CKO final is a “special” occasion for Stellies, who have fought hard for their place in the DStv Premiership.
“When we won the league and got promoted in the last match of the season, to get promoted was one of the most significant [occasions] in the club’s history.
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“We didn’t win the game but got promoted, so that was a special occasion. There have been other special occasions, like the first time in an MTN8 quarterfinal at [Kaizer] Chiefs with the stadium packed the way it was at the time.
“And the semi-final against [Orlando] Pirates, so there’s been some exceptional games, but there’s none we’ve played on the day we win a trophy. That makes it an extraordinary match for the club,” he said.
BARKER CONFIDENT OF AVOIDING A REPEAT OF THE 2009 AGONY
Steve Barker is confident his men will help him avoid a repeat of the 2009 Nedbank Cup agony. Moreover, he admits the two finals are different.
“It was a different occasion, and we had nothing to lose. We were the underdogs and the first region team, which created hype. In life, you have setbacks and disappointments, which I had that day.
“You got to learn and take those experiences and add them. So, I think in terms of that experience plus coaching many years after that, that experience is taken into this game.
“There are perhaps players who’ve never been to finals before, so managing their feelings towards the game and just making sure that we have a calm but focused week,” he added.
TS Galaxy will also hope to win their second cup title after their memorable win against Kaizer Chiefs in the 2019 Nedbank Cup.