Cape Town Spurs captain Clayton Daniels says the derby is the perfect chance for his team to turn things around, and believes that Spurs can pick up their first DStv Premiership win of the season against Cape Town City on Saturday.
Shaun Bartlett’s team have lost all six of their opening leagues, but Daniels feels that the derby might be the ideal catalyst for a change of fortune.
With the majority of the Spurs squad hailing from Cape Town, Daniels feels the the hometown pride could give Spurs the edge in what is expected to be a compelling fixture
“Even last season, that was one of the driving forces behind the club, also, to have homegrown players, to do it for the community, to do it for the people of Cape Town,” Daniels told iDiski Times on Wednesday.
“And I think we continue with that culture, and for me, I’m very happy to be associated when there’s culture like it, especially when it comes from the club, and gives opportunities to our people, coloured people and Cape Town people.”
While three Cape Town City players were involved in the previous Cape Town derby between City and Ajax Cape Town, there are actually no Spurs players who have featured before in an official derby against City.
Daniels, who did play for Ajax originally, actually left the Mother City, half a decade before City were formed.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Daniels added.
“This club is what, 2016? By that time, I was five years gone already.
So ja, I never played against them, in that Ajax-Cape Town City derby.
“So for me, my derby was Santos, and the other one maybe Vasco. Ja, so I had other derbies, than this one. So for me, I’m looking forward to this one, because of the other rivalry that’s also going. But for me, personally, it is for the Cape Town people.”
Daniels said he has been motivating the young Capetonians in the squad, because he remembers the passion from those games when he was young.
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“Especially for the people of Cape Town, for these kids, it is a great, great, great opportunity,” Daniels explained.
“I remember when I played Santos way back when we were also very young, and we were excited, but we were so determined you know, we were so determined.
“We don’t want to lose. We can lose any game, but we don’t want to lose this game.
“And back then Santos had your experienced players, the Edries Burton’s the Musa Otienos, big, big players and we were just a few young players and trying to prove ourselves and try to showcase to our people, that we are from Cape Town.
“We want to do it for the people.
“Hopefully this game we can use it to boost our confidence, to turn things around, to give us a really a chance in the league this season.
“And I think this is the perfect opportunity.”
