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HomeCAF Champions LeagueBarker Reflects On CAF Vision Coming To Fruition

Barker Reflects On CAF Vision Coming To Fruition

Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker was beaming with pride as they secured a place in the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup in their debut campaign.

Stellenbosch booked their place in the knockout stages with a game to spare after three consecutive wins in Group B, with the latest, the 2-0 win over 2009 champions Stade Malien at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday afternoon.

Jayden Adams and Fawaaz Basadien’s first half goals steered them to progression alongside RS Berkane, who they face next week in Morocco.

“I think it’s a very proud moment, maybe four, five years ago it was a bit tongue in cheek when I said, ‘come on guys we have to get this club playing on the continent, one day there will be headline; from crushing grapes to crushing Africa’,” he said.

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“I keep referring to it and keep reminding the players, so we just really… for the club to be at this stage and to be able to get into the knockout stage as we have is just credit to just everything done at the football club, right from the bottom level through our development processes, our youth program, our very good diski program.

“A lot of effort put into making sure the first team is competitive and all at the same time still running a club that can be sustainable, it’s always been our objective to have sustained success…

“So, the way we’re doing things, we’re on the right track and this is just a little bit of a cherry on the cake getting to the knockout stages. It doesn’t make our task easier for the rest of the season with the amount of league matches to play, Nedbank Cup to contend with.

“But it is what we wanted, it’s what we want so we can’t look at it… we look at it in a positive way, we look at it that footballers want to play regularly, and they are currently playing regular football, which is very great for them, so yeah, really proud moment for everybody.”

Stellenbosch will now return to the Western Cape before a foray towards North Africa for their final group stage game.

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