Maritzburg coach Davids concerned about his defence for Nedbank Cup quarterfinals

22 March 2018 - 15:36 By Mark Gleeson
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Maritzburg United assistant coach Mahier Davids (L) reacts on the touchline with his head coach and older brother Fadlu Davids during the Nedbank Cup match against Royal Eagles at Princess Magogo Stadium, Durban on 11 March 2018.
Maritzburg United assistant coach Mahier Davids (L) reacts on the touchline with his head coach and older brother Fadlu Davids during the Nedbank Cup match against Royal Eagles at Princess Magogo Stadium, Durban on 11 March 2018.
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids has concerns about his defence for next Saturday’s Nedbank Cup tie at home to Bloemfontein Celtic but is hoping that inexperienced Rushine de Reuck might step into the breach.

Maritzburg‚ who host the game at the Harry Gwala Stadium‚ must do without Pogiso Sanoka‚ the suspended Bevan Fransman‚ and injured Kenyan international Brian Onyango.

Davids is likely to hand the 22-year-old De Reuck only the second start of his senior career.

“He (De Reuck) made a mistake early on in our last game against Polokwane City but how he bounced back was important and that really showed maturity for a young man to be able to bounce back‚ be brave and be into it for the rest of the game‚” said Davids.

“I was very proud of him to come back the way he did.

"We know his quality.

"You’ve seen glimpses of him but there is so much more potential.

"We see it in training early day and once he fully believes in himself he’ll be a helluva player.”

But Davids admitted he is yet to settle on his defence for the cup tie‚ which is still more than one week away.

“We have to look and see which options we have and which formations we can play at the back.”

Fransman serves the last of a two-match suspension after being sent off in the last cup win for Maritzburg over neighbours Royal Eagles.

Sanoko got a fourth caution of the season in the match against Polokwane City‚ much to the irritation of his coach.

“You can’t waste time in the last seconds of the game when you know you are on three yellow cards and you are going to get a fourth.

Onyango came in for captain Fransman in Maritzburg’s last game‚ a narrow 2-1 home victory over relegation-threatened Polokwane City‚ but was injured early in the game.

Davids added Celtic will be hard to beat: “It’s a really tough draw for us.

"We scored four against them the last time they came to us (in January) but that will mean they are going to come here all guns blazing.”


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now