Stellenbosch DStv Diski Challenge coach Evangelos Vellios has credited head coach Steve Barker after securing the second DDC title for the club.
The Cape Winelands-side had to come from 2-0 and 3-2 down to beat Golden Arrows 4-3 on the final day of the season to secure the title.
After the match, a visibly emotional Vellios said there is a special fighting spiring in the club, incarnated by head coach Barker and the club’s leadership – especially after the sad passing of Oswin Andries who was in Vellios’ DDC team when they won the first DDC title two years ago.
“There’s such a fighting spirit in this club,” he told SuperSport TV.
“We saw Ozzy on the field, we 2-0 down against Cape Town City in a PSL match, we turned it around, he was Man of the Match. And there’s a spirit within our club, there’s wonderful things that’s happening and the leadership has created that.
“So I just want to give a shout out to coach Steve, my mentor, and I learned from him, we all do. He makes a family of everyone.
“We train every day with them. I sit on the bench with him and I see him fight game after game. So we had that spirit, you know, we’ll fight till the end.
“I saw the mood change, obviously 0-0 at halftime. We went into the change room and all of a sudden Sundowns start scoring. It’s natural. They’re humans, and they’re young.
“But they withstood today. I’m so proud of them.”
