‘Motivation is High Amongst the Players’


15 March 2010

Team Manager Yusuf Gester gives us his views and insight into Santos’ up-coming Telkom Knockout clash with Kaizer Chiefs at Newlands on Sunday.

The match kicks off at 15H00.

Santosfc.co.za put the following questions to Gester:

1. Is playing a popular side like Chiefs a good or a bad thing?

Playing a popular team like Chiefs is always a good thing, because the players' self motivations are much higher and this makes it easy for the coaching staff just to concentrate on the match tactics.

2. Santos must be confident after a good run in the league?

Yes the league run was very good for us (even though we would like to have done even better)so the confidence was high, but preparing for the upcoming game, the guys know this is a different ball game and the "confidence" will not affect the players negatively.

3. Many people believe that a couple of Santos players should have been with the national team in Brazil. The upside though is that the team has a full strength squad for the cup.

Having players in the Bafana camp would have been good for the club & the players, but that is out of our control. So all the clubs in the PSL were aware that their "Bafana selected" players will not be available for the Cups and they would have prepared accordingly.

4. What will be key to victory over Chiefs?

Key to victory would be, to follow the coach’s instructions regarding the game plan and make use of the scoring opportunities that will arise during the game.

5. Any Chiefs players that will provide a particular threat?

Chiefs on the whole is good team, so we will respect them as a team (as we respect any other opposition), but we will not single out any of their players. At the same time I can say that Santos is also a good team.