Marumo Gallants interim coach Raymond Mdaka admits that things have become difficult and complex for his side as they keep on switching focus between their historic continental mission, while they have big problems in the league.
Gallants missed an opportunity to move away from the relegation threatened group in the DStv Premiership when they lost 2-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns in the league over the weekend in their backyard.
The Limpopo side are third from bottom on the log tied on 29 points with Chippa United in 15th place, though the Chilli Boys have a game in hand (against TS Galaxy). The two are three points ahead of bottom-placed Maritzburg United.
On the flip side Mdaka’s charges have a shot at the CAF Confederations Cup as they face Tanzanian side Young Africans in the semi-finals with the first leg scheduled for Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.
Mdaka says it’s become tough to handle both competitions but they just have to soldier on and continue fighting as a unit.
“We have been in this situation and unfortunately there is no remedy for this. It’s just to get into that bush there is no remedy,” said Mdaka.
“You can’t say we are not going to Tanzania and you can’t say we are not playing the league or we have to play the league first and finish. It’s not in our hands.
“All we have to do is to do what’s supposed to be done, go to Tanzania, play that game come back play the second leg even before we play the last game against Swallows.
“Our last game is against Swallows and it’s on the 20th and depending on the fixtures of CAF what happens is for us to watch other games until we play our last game.
“I think that’s one difficult area to deal with because the strength of the coach or any other person is in the mind. Now, whatever you say and whatever you do should be something that will not deject the players. It should be something that should pick up the players.
“But we just have to understand, all of us, players, technical team and everybody in the team to say this is the situation, we have to manage these two situations.
“We have to go and play there, come back play but at the same time, make sure that we still have that chance and that chance can only come if we are together, we are one-minded and we support each other and all that. Then we will be fine.”
