by
Graeme Jackson
Wednesday May 09, 2018. 09:00
Former SuperSport United stalwart Ricardo Katza is adamant that the club will not suffer relegation from South Africa’s top flight.
The Tshwane side, which finished as runners-up in the CAF Confederation Cup just last year, find themselves just two points above the relegation playoff zone in the Absa Premiership heading into the final round of the season this weekend.
Should they be overhauled by Ajax Cape Town on the final day, United will find themselves in a three-way battle with Jomo Cosmos and Black Leopards in the playoffs.
Yet Katza, who has been a player and a coach in the SuperSport structures for a decade and a half, believes that Matsatsantsa have too much quality to go down.
“For me, even if SuperSport does go to the play-offs, I don’t think they will get relegated because of the type of players at the club,” Katza told Kick-Off.
“It’s just an unfortunate situation that the club finds itself in, and I don’t think it’s something they have to panic about, even though they’ve never been in that situation.
“I think there’s enough quality and depth to… Even if they do go to the play-offs, I don’t see them going down [to the First Division].”
The 40-year-old added that either Ajax and SuperSport would be able to win through in the playoffs.
“SuperSport is not a club that has been up-and-down, and even Ajax Cape Town. Both clubs are struggling, yes, but they’ve been consistent in maintaining their PSL status,” he explained.
“It’s just unfortunate that they’re in this situation… Okay, Ajax have been down there before, I remember when I was at Hellenic we ended just below them [in 2002/03].
“But, over the years, they’ve been quite consistent. And If it were other teams that have been coming up-and-down then it would be different, but I don’t think they have to panic even though it is a so-called ‘panic situation’ because both clubs aren’t used to being there.
“For SuperSport, I think they have enough quality and depth, the club is too big to go to the NFD. If you look at the clubs that go to NFD, they aren’t as established as SuperSport.”
COMMENTS
Sign in to comment