Fadlu Davids wants ruthless streak from Maritzburg relegation survival

Speaking after the Team of Choice beat Casric Stars 2-0 at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday night to boost their chances of staying in the DStv Premiership, the coach wanted more.

They face Cape Town Spurs on Saturday in the mini-league where each of the three teams play each other home and away.

"Outstanding football at times, we scored the first goal and scored the second goal, just really disappointing that we didn't kill off the game with a third and a fourth. We really gotta change that mindset, the ruthlessness, the mindset going to Cape Town Spurs away," he said.

"If we are the PSL team, we need to show that we are the PSL team that we can manage games the way we did. That's why I'm really disappointed that we could not kill off the game."

Maritzburg are perhaps in this scenario because they failed to put games to bed during the 2022/23 season, finishing second from bottom and being forced to avoid the drop in the play-offs.

Davids was not pleased with the approach.

"When you don't score the big chances, we have and out of those big chances was a really dominant phase. It's unconscious that the players now start giving 10% less and they become a bit more aggressive of course the changes didn't help but of course players on three yellows," the coach explained.

"We are playing three days later; we have to travel. We had to make these changes, it was clear but we expect more from our players to be able to manage the game out and score the third then score the fourth."

Davids’ side has three more fixtures to go – two against Spurs and then a trip to KwaMhlanga to face Casric.

But he’s also thinking ahead.

"I know the potential of the players, as a coach, it's my job to be able to try and squeeze that. If you are playing at 80 or 90% or 95%, it's my job to squeeze out that extra 5%. I want them to give more, I want them to be able to grow as a team. I want them to be able to learn from situations like these. We've got an obstacle here to get into the PSL but at the same time we are preparing for next season."