By Hlayisani Magoro
Magesi FC head coach Clinton Larsen has given an update on what has been happening behind the scenes since the team returned to training on January 16 following the festive break.
“So far we are very happy with preparations since the players have come back we have done fitness tests, we have done our weigh-ins and fit percentages and all the players followed the off-season program, so we are very pleased about that. So, it’s all systems go at the moment, we are working very hard,” he said.
The 52-year-old Durban-born mentor has revealed that the club has been playing behind closed doors friendly games in a bid to prepare for the second-round of the Motsepe Foundation Championship. Magesi will return to their domestic duties with an away trip to JDR stars on February 13.
“We have been playing a few friendly games, getting the team ready for JDR Stars. We know it’s going to be a tough opener and the boys are working very hard and based on what I have seen here, we are positive that we will put in a good performance and get the result we are looking for,” Larsen said.
Larsen, who was appointed on the 4th of January in 2023 has been at the helm for over a year now and he is optimistic of a change in fortunes from their first-round performances ahead of the return of the Motsepe Foundation Championship in February.
“Everybody is looking forward to the new year and what it brings, and we are hoping to have an improvement on the first round. But with the work we see being put in at the moment, it makes us very optimistic about what lies ahead for the team,” he concluded.
Dikwena have managed to put up a respectable and solid finish in the first round of the season, laying a foundation for the rest of the season with the club 6th on the second-tier standings, three points behind log-leaders Orbit College.
However, their form in the last five outings left a lot to be desired. Larsen’s men endured a dip in form winning one of their last five matches, sharing the spoils in the other three and losing the other one at the hands of University of Pretoria who are second placed with 28 points. Magesi will look to draw inspiration from the fact that they rounded-off 2023 with a 2-1 victory over an in-form Upington City ahead of JDR Stars test.
The club established in 2011 will be looking to consolidate their top-flight promotion ambitions starting with the match against JDR Stars. Magesi will be away to struggling Marumo Gallants after facing JDR Stars, before hosting third placed Baroka FC. Back-to-back away matches against Black Leopards and Pretoria Callies respectively follow prior to another home game where they will take on Orbit College.
