Clinton Larsen warns Magesi FC against Premiership naivety

The Polokwane-based outfit won the Motsepe Foundations Championship with a few games to spare last season, and are undoubtedly itching to get going in the Betway Premiership.

With their opening fixture against Sekhukhune United scheduled for next Wednesday, Larsen is under no illusions of what to expect in the top flight.

"It's exciting to be here. For the club, it's exciting times ahead. It's going to be difficult, we know that, but as a small club, I just said to my players and my management, we must not be naive," said Larsen.

"This league is very tough – I've been here before and I know, so we've got to treat the teams with respect. We are the small boys in the league and we've got to make sure we give everybody the respect that they deserve.

"But, at the same time, we must not fear anybody. We've got to be fearless, we've got to be brave, and embrace this challenge of being in the Betway Premiership."

Having signed over a dozen new players to bolster their squad, headlined by the likes of Kgaugelo Sekgotha and Gift Motupa, the former Bloemfontein Celtic and Chippa United mentor says time will tell whether they have the right arsenal.

"Time will tell who steps up to the challenge, [and] whether their performances in the NFD can now be repeated in the PSL, so we will only know when the league starts," he added.

"Are these boys we've given a chance to be in the PSL ready for it? My gut tells me, a lot of them are. I've got a well-trained eye for many years, and I believe what I see is a lot of players who have the potential to become household names in the PSL."

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