As Lamontville Golden Arrows prepare to head north for clash with Baroka FC in an improbable Premier Soccer League top of the table clash on Tuesday night in Polokwane‚ coach Clinton Larsen is setting bite sized goals for his players.
It’s an old habit‚ said Larsen whose side will be defending an unbeaten record when they meet Baroka who are the only other team yet to taste defeat this season after seven starts.
“I have always worked in little block‚ in my entire coaching career trying to get eight points every five games‚” explained the former Bafana Bafana midfielder.
“If you are one of the smallest teams in the league‚ like I was at (Bloemfontein) Celtic and now at Arrows‚ getting to 42 points is the first target that you try to achieve.
“Once you get there‚ you can see with the remaining games how far you can then push on‚ that has always been our target.”
Even though they are second on the log on goal difference‚ Larsen says it is unrealistic to think of his side as a championship-winning outfit.
“I’ve always said we are going to be fighting with the likes of maybe a Cape Town City‚ a Maritzburg and Ajax‚ these type of teams are also trying to finish in the top eight.
“I’m not speaking about the big five because generally‚ four of five of them make the top eight.
“So then you are fighting for three or four places maximum with six or seven other teams. That’s no easy task.”
But on Tuesday‚ Larsen wants a full haul of points to take back top place in the standings.
“We have got to make sure that when we play these type of teams. We must try to get results against the likes of Baroka and Polokwane City because at the end of the league when you tally the points those are going to be decisive games which determine whether you are in or out‚” he added.
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