Wits' reunited defence can spur revival‚ says Vincent Pule

Bidvest Wits having their established back four back can lay the platform for the team to regain their confidence in midfield and attack too‚ on-form left-wing Vincent Pule has said ahead of Saturday’s Telkom Knockout final.

Gavin Hunt’s limping league champions have been in woeful form defending their Absa Premiership title‚ where they are in last place.

But they have been in far better nick in cups‚ where they were unlucky to lose over two legs to Cape Town City in the MTN8 semifinals.

On Saturday they meet Bloemfontein Celtic in the TKO final at Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban.

And Wits have the boost of having been able to field their back four‚ and goalkeeper Darren Keet‚ who were so influential in last season’s historic first league title for the Clever Boys in Saturday’s PSL 0-0 away draw against Maritzburg United.

Centreback Buhle Mkhwanazi’s initial long-term absence upset Wits’ balance‚ not just in defence‚ but‚ as the team bled goals through unforced errors at the back‚ also in midfield and attack‚ where Hunt’s team increasingly lost shape as the results went against them.

Mkhwanazi’s return in the last three weeks‚ and Hunt being able to field last season’s defence alongside him of right-back Nazeer Allie‚ captain and central partner Thulani Hlatswayo‚ and left-back Sifiso Hlanti‚ give Wits a platform that should see them find some overall rhythm again.

Pule‚ admitting Wits’ relief at in particular having the defensive rock of Hlatswayo and Mkhwanazi reunited‚ said Wits’ defensive problems stemmed from the entire team.

“I don’t like to say that one player missing affected us. As a team we defended badly‚” he said this week.

“But at least we have got the stability of Buhle and ‘Tyson’ now. They know each other so well.

“And I mean‚ it doesn’t start at the back. It starts up-front for us to defend from there The whole team has to take responsibility.”

As Wits’ engine initially refused to turn over‚ then has spluttered into some kind of form‚ Pule has been a performing player in attack‚ forcing his way into Hunt’s starting line-up.

“As a player you want to do well in every game. It’s not about when the team is not doing well and then you drop your head. You have to keep on going.

“At the moment it’s just that my confidence is high. It’s been great for me to get an opportunity and a chance to play. And when I get in I try to give it everything to keep my place.”

Celtic‚ relegation battlers last season‚ have been far more resilient early in 2017-18 under the organisation-based regime of Serb Veselin Jelusic.

They are in better league form than Wits‚ sitting in eighth place to the champions’ last.

But the Clever Boys are the stronger team on paper. It should be a close‚ competitive contest.