Fadlu Davids targets another top eight finish for Maritzburg United

Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids has reiterated the club’s ambition of finishing in the top eight again this season as the squad departed for the Christmas holidays.

Maritzburg will finish the year outside of the top eight places in the Premier Soccer League standings but could be as high as ninth depending on the outcome of Wednesday’s last game of 2017 between Bloemfontein Celtic and SuperSport United.

Maritzburg have a game in hand‚ however‚ having played only 14 matches and garnered 18 points.

They began the season with a strong run but then went 11 games without success before winning again.

“Of course we want to get into the top eight‚ that’s no secret‚” said Davids‚ who is in his first full season as head coach.

“We have got the youngest squad that Maritzburg United has ever had‚ we’ve brought the average age down to 23.

"We have the smallest squad we’ve ever had - 23 players with eight Diski players included in that 23‚ plus four goalkeepers.

“So we are lucky that we have multi-functional players that are able to play in different positions.

"We have eight players able to play in six or more positions and that’s why we are able to have such a small squad and thankfully we haven’t had any muscle injuries this season.

“I think this young squad has done so well this season.

"It’s normal that a young squad will be inconsistent with up and down performances. It’s understandable‚” he added.

“We want to build these young players to help them develop like we have been doing with Lebo Maboe‚ Fortune Makaringe‚ Pogiso Sanoka‚ Bandile Shandu‚ Siphesihle Ndlovu … all these younger players coming through in their second season in the PSL.

“We must compliment them for that but challengers are coming. They have to handle the stress and it’s our job to keep them focused and grounded for the 16 matches we still have left to play.

“With these players’ capabilities‚ although they are young‚ we can achieve.

"They have so much tactical flexibility and so I think they are capable of finishing in the top eight but‚ of course‚ there is still a lot of work to do before we start the second half of the season.”

Maritzburg will resume on Friday January 5 when they feature in the first game of the new year away against Ajax Cape Town.