Musa Bilankulu calls on Golden Arrows to emulate class of 2009

It has been nearly 16 years since KwaZulu-Natal tasted a cup victory, when Bilankulu – still a player at the time – helped Arrows to that famous 6-0 drubbing of Ajax Cape Town at Orlando Stadium.

Now as a coach, the 39-year-old says the pressure to live up to those standards will always be there, and players need to adjust their mindsets to overcome that hurdle.

"Look, there's always pressure in the game of football – yes, we've shown the capacity of winning a trophy, and this is the only chance now to fight for silverware [this season]," said Bilankulu.

"In the group of players we have, I've always motivated them and given them that belief that they can still do it because we did it in 2009 when I was still a player.

"They also have to believe in everything they do, that they can still achieve because now we have to give the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, and all the other teams the challenge in competing.

"All of us start at the round of 32, so we have to give them that challenge to say that, 'All the teams participating are capable of winning.

"We've seen the likes of TS Galaxy when they were still in the NFD, they pushed through that barrier; we've seen Magesi FC in the Carling Knockout – they pushed through until they won the cup.

"So it's only a matter of changing the mindset and mentality in believing in what we do, that it will come out because, once you have the confidence to fight, anything is possible in life."

READ: Bilankulu downplays Mabhuti Khenyeza’s Golden Arrows resignation