Ahead of the start of the Motsepe Foundation Championship campaign this weekend, Cape Town City captain Lorenzo Gordinho has said there are certain expectations on their young squad for 2026/27.
City finished second in the MFC last season, missing out on promotion in the playoffs, but it was a good season for many of their young players who formed the core of the team.
But with promotion their main target again, Gordinho says that now a benchmark has been set by players like MFC Players’ Player of the Season Emile Witbooi, MFC Young Player of the Season Gabriel Amato, Young Player nominee Cayden Fortune, Dhakier Lee and others, and there will be an expectation to see them improve on their rookie campaign.
“No one really knew what to think; there was no benchmark for them because it was their first season, so that was always nice to see,” Gordinho told iDiski Times during their preseason build-up.
“Like I always told them, like, just be free and play because no one’s going to judge you on what you can and can’t do because this is your first season, so just do it. And then, coming to this season now, we know what they can do, so they have to live up to that and more. You know, so now it’s more of a they have a benchmark that they have to get to a level of, and to go higher. And yeah, I mean, like in terms of the partnerships and the continuity in the team, I also think it’s important for the team to perform week in, week out. But we have a really good squad, a strong squad.”
City have brought in several top signings for their promotion challenge, including veteran Thabang Monare, Mfundo Thikazi and Bolivian international defender, Marcelo Suárez, amongst others.
“I think they fit in. They’ve adapted pretty well,” Gordinho said.
“We also have a good group of guys here at the club. They welcome everybody, and I think I’d like to say everyone adapts well when they arrive at the club. And it’s just about making everyone feel good so that they’re able to perform at their best, you know. And that’s what we need as a team. And I think we’ve done a good job with that so far.
City will be led by former Ajax Cape Town coach Andries Ulderink. Ulderink, who joined City as Technical Director last season. He replaced fellow Dutchman Jan Vreman, who returned to Holland at the end of last season.
“Like you said, he was here last season, more in a Technical Director role,” Gordinho added.
“But we obviously had interactions with him, conversations, really to figure out who he is as a person and what he wants on the field, and now, as the head coach, he’s got more hands-on, you know, with us every day on the field.
“And I think the guys have adapted to his coaching style, and they understand what he wants and how he wants a team to perform. And I think he also has a better understanding of the guys being here from last season as the director to being a coach now, so I think, yeah, it’s looking positive at the moment.”