Fadlu Davids did not want to comment whether or not he will be at Maritzburg United next season after the side were relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
The question at that time might have been harsh to Davids as the emotions were still raw after the Team of Choice failed to beat Cape Town Spurs at the packed Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday.
But Davids assured that he will submit his technical report to his chairman Farook Kadodia, admitting a change of approach is needed because the club has only finished three times in the top eight in 15 years in the PSL top flight.
The former Orlando Pirates co-head coach arrived at the club in November when Maritzburg was at the bottom of the table, replacing then fired coach John Maduka, who had won just two of the 13 league matches in charge during the FIFA World Cup enforced break.
Davids managed to lead the team into the relegation/promotion play-off spot, missing out on survival on goal difference, but couldn’t overcome a resilient Spurs in the play-off.
The big question is now whether Davids will lead the team next season and attempt to bring them straight back into the top flight but he didn’t want to discuss his future.
“No, no comment,” said Davids when asked bu iDiski Times, if he will be with the club next season.
The Team of Choice were nervous from the start, as they knew that they had to come out and beat Spurs, who needed just a draw to gain promotion to the DStv Premiership for the first time since being relegated in 2018.
Spurs all the time broke the play and did not allow Maritzburg to put them under pressure, only later in the game. But it was a little too late.
As Maritzburg needed to win, Davids said it was too much pressure for his players, while others came close to share the tears at the end of the game, with heads dropping down when they left the dressing room.
“It was pressure because we had everything for us, our supporters came to fill up the stadium,” said Davids.
“It was intense, we just couldn’t put two passes together, we couldn’t settle in the game. Of course, if you just have to draw away, you fight, you kick a ball out, waste time, it is difficult to get going.
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“One or two passes the ball goes out, it is foul or something, we couldn’t really settle in the game. Second half really changed things, we were much better but we were still not putting the goalkeeper under enough pressure to score.”
Unlike in the 2018/19 season in the play-offs where Maritzburg made history by winning all four matches, this time it wasn’t the case.