Malesela planned for playoffs in advance

Baroka coach Dan Malesela says he has put a plan together to avoid going the same route as Cape Town Spurs, who won the playoffs last season only to struggle in the DStv Premiership and suffer automatic relegation.

Baroka secured a place in the playoffs after playing to a 1-1 draw with the University of Pretoria in their final match of the Motsepe Foundation Championship at Tuks Stadium on Sunday.

They finished third and now have to wait to see who will join them and AmaTuks between DStv Premiership sides Richards Bay and Royal AM. The KZN clubs will be engaged in the final round of matches on Saturday.

“From last Thursday I started thinking about this thing and I said, ‘you know, don’t underestimate things. Start planning now for any eventuality,” Malesela told the media during the post-match press conference.

“I started planning around these playoffs and I asked myself why teams struggle when they come from the playoffs once they get into the Premiership. And why did the other teams not win the playoffs? Start looking at what you can do and what you cannot. I cannot reveal that now because it’s our plan.

“It was my plan, but it is our plan now. I think I have an idea of what to do.”

While Baroka looked to have a slim chance of making the playoffs a few weeks ago, Malesela insisted he was always optimistic they would make it.

On Sunday, they needed a draw against AmaTuks to confirm their place in the playoffs. “I was always optimistic, to be honest. There was not a time where I didn’t think about the playoffs and not making them,” he said.

“The reality is that there were scares here and there that you may not make it. But as I looked at the points and looked at how we play, I always felt that we just need to get certain wins and we will be right there with other teams.

“There was a point where I felt we could still catch up with Magesi until they won the league. That’s the attitude I have. You don’t give up and you don’t stop until you find something.”