Coach Clinton Larsen is relieved that he has saved newly-promoted side Magesi from relegation with four games to spare.
Larsen was appointed by Magesi in January, just days before the second half of the season resumed.
The former Golden Arrows coach has overseen 14 matches for the club, winning five, losing seven and drawing two, collecting 17 of the club’s 33 points.
The Limpopo-based club have done well in their last three games, winning two before drawing the last game, an entertaining 2-2 draw against All Stars over the weekend, with the latter side packed with PSL experienced players.
With 33 points after 26 matches, Magesi cannot be drawn in the relegation zone, as bottom side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) has 20 points after the same number of matches.
Even if TTM would win all their remaining four matches, they can only reach 32 points, while second from bottom, Black Leopards are on 21 points and only have a mathematical chance to draw Magesi back into the relegation zone, should they win their four matches and Magesi lose their’s.
But Larsen, speaking to iDiski Times, feels the job is done for his side with four games to go.
“I think the key thing to remember is, number one; in 2016/17 season, this team got relegated. Hence they brought me in,” said Larsen, who is assisted by Jacky Ledwaba.
“The second thing; newly promoted teams are always the first ones that are supposed to go down. You look at La Masia now, they are fighting for their lives.
“The first thing to do is safety and to do it with four games left, it was very good from the club’s part. In fact, everybody at the club – the management must all be applauded for that because it was one of the teams that everyone says will go down.
“We managed to achieve that and it is a job well done by the team. Now it is about preparing for the new season.”
Magesi has some PSL experienced players in the squad, such as Vuyisile Wana who previously played for Kaizer Chiefs.
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Manual Kambala played for Baroka, and will forever be remembered for messing Chiefs’ league title charge in the 2019/20 season, scoring the equaliser for Bakgaga in the last game of the season against Amakhosi, allowing Mamelodi Sundowns to sneak the league from Chiefs’ jaws.
Larsen also made his name with Bloemfontein Celtic, winning the Telkom Knockout in the 2012/13 season against Sundowns.
He will also be remembered for messing Sundowns’ league chase to Chiefs in the 2014/15 season, where Celtic hammered the Tshwane giants 5-0 in Pretoria with Gabadinho Mhango, Keagan Buchanan and Musa Nyatama running the show.
