ROGER Sikhakhane’s magic touch is starting to show at National First Division (NFD) side Royal Eagles.
Sikhakhane has moved the club from third bottom up to 11th place with 26 points since his arrival from PSL outfit Chippa United a month ago. Sikhakhane replaced former Orlando Pirates coach Kosta Papic.
In his three league games in charge he has collected seven points, courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Uthongathi FC, a 1-0 victory over Kings United and a 2-0 win against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in Eagles’ last league game.
Both Kings and Tshakhuma have a good chance of playing in the promotion play-offs at the end of the season.
Sikhakhane has been in a similar situation before when he joined the now defunct Thanda Royal Zulu in the 2015-16 season. He helped them survive the chop on the last day and the following season they won the league. But the soft-spoken coach does not like to compare his current situation with the one at Thanda.
Said Sikhakhane: “Let’s not talk about what happened then or what is happening now. Let’s wait and see what happens at the end of this season. The following season we will have a plan for it.”
Royal Eagles visit Super Eagles at Goble Park in the Free State on Saturday (3.30pm). The Pietermaritzburg-based Eagles go into the match on the back of a 2-1 Nedbank Cup defeat to neighbours Maritzburg United. Their cup exit was Sikhakhane’s first defeat at the helm.
“That defeat won’t have any bad impact on us. Against Maritzburg it was a cup competition and against Eagles it’s a league match. They are totally different matches. Still, I am expecting more or less the same type of game we had against Maritzburg, long balls and lots of running. We will have a plan for them,” he said.
Royal Eagles will pin their hopes on winger Masibusane Zongo to ensure they collect three points.
) Elsewhere, second-placed Real Kings will hope to cement their position when they host Black Leopards at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont at the same date and time. Uthongathi, meanwhile, will visit Mthatha Bucks at Mthatha Stadium and Richards Bay FC are away to Tshakhuma at Giyani Stadium in Limpopo.
