Swallows head coach Dylan Kerr, who is leading the Warriors team in the DStv Compact Cup, says the semi-finals were of a good standard, but he really wishes there were fans at the games.
Warriors beat Amabutho 2-1 to reach the final, where they will face Coastal United who were 3-0 victors over Dinaledi.
The Englishman has only recently taken over at Swallows, having previously been in charge at clubs like Baroka, Black Leopards, and Tshakhuma (now Marumo Gallants).
In all those instances Kerr had come in with the added pressure of fighting against relegation, so iDiski Times journalist Rob Delport asked Kerr about how he’s enjoying the Compact Cup experience, where he does not have those concerns.
“There’s been a lot of questions being asked about the DSTV Compact Cup, there’s been a lot of players who are asking why, a lot of coaches have said the same thing, it’s the disruption to doing stuff with your team Rob,” Kerr replied.
“You know, we were all worried about how it was going to be, was it going to be a competitive game, was it going to be like an easy training session game like a pre-season friendly?
“So we didn’t really know what was going to happen. And I think both games have showed that it was a good idea.”
But Kerr says a competition like this really needed to have supporters in the stands.
“The only problem Rob, is that we didn’t have any fans,” he continued.
“I hope very, very soon, we have to stick by the government’s guidelines, we have to believe that they are working very, very hard to help the country to get football fans, and rugby fans and cricket fans, from all over South Africa back into the stadium.
“Because I believe and well I know for a fact, if this would have been allowed fans to come in here, this would have been packed, this stadium, because it was a good spectacle.
“I remember back in the 80s we used to do double headers. You know, Abdul Bhamjee used to do double headers at Ellis Park and Orlando Stadium and Atteridgeville.
“And we’d sell the stadiums out with supporters, because there were two games that fans could come, pay the money and watch two games.
“And I think that’s very, very important in football now.
“But yeah, the relegation thing is something new to me… when I’m here now, in a semi-final to get to the final.
“And that’s what you have to do with these players. You have to tell them to believe in themselves, trust themselves, trust each other and get to a final because you’re one game away from winning this Compact Cup.”
