Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker hopes to create history for the Club by lifting the MTN8 trophy on Saturday evening.

The team from the Cape Winelands will compete in the final of the prestigious MTN8 competition for the first time in the club’s history this weekend when they take on Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

Speaking to the media ahead of the encounter, Stellies head coach Barker revealed that it has been a long-held ambition for him to make history for the Club by winning the competition as a coach, after previously lifting the trophy in its previous incarnation during his playing days.

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“When we got promoted many years back, in our first season in the top flight, I said the MTN8 is the one,” he said.

“It’s a competition that I’ve always wanted to be involved in as a coach, because as a player I won it in ’95 as a player when it was still the BP Top 8, so it is a special trophy to win.

“It’s an early-season tournament and winning it would give confidence for the rest of the season, a trophy and medals for the players, and good financial reward, so it would be a good start to win the MTN8.

“Pirates have had that experience over the last two seasons, and they’re going for a third which is a magnificent opportunity for them to make history, but we want to create our own history by lifting the trophy.”

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Saturday’s showpiece comes just months after Stellenbosch FC defeated TS Galaxy to win the Carling Knockout and Barker believes the high-pressure experience from that occasion will be invaluable when facing the Buccaneers.

“It’s not often that you get the opportunity to play in finals,” he added. “We did recently, about six or seven months ago, so to be in another final is exciting, not only for me but also for the players and the club.

“Everyone is looking forward to embracing the challenge that lies ahead. We had that taste of victory and I think that taste of success has put the players in a really good space in terms of approaching the game with the right levels of commitment and desire against a really good team.

“…The experience gained from that will stand us in good stead. The players will have experienced playing in a final and that does carry over.

“But I remind myself, and I remind the players, that you must not take it for granted that we reach finals. Being in finals is not easy, it takes special runs and special matches like for us to have got past a team like Mamelodi Sundowns over two legs to get there.

“You must not take that for granted and cherish the moment, look forward to the occasion, and understand that playing in the final is a special occasion for us as coaches, players, the club, and our fans.”

Read | Venue confirmed for MTN8 final between Stellenbosch FC and Orlando Pirates

The MTN8 final between Stellenbosch FC and Orlando Pirates is scheduled to kick off at 18h00 on Saturday, 5 October 2024. The match will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL 202 and SABC Sport.