Shaun Bartlett on Cape Town Spurs' promotion: ‘Everybody thought we’d crumble’

The former Bafana Bafana striker says his side was written off after letting it slip on the final day of the Motsepe Foundation Championship last month, losing out on automatic promotion via goal difference to Polokwane City. 

But Bartlett has had the last laugh. 

"Everybody thought we're going to crumble because it was massive – to lose the league by goal difference is not easy, but we bounced back," declared the 50-year-old tactician.

"We had a two-week break, gave the guys a couple of days off, and you could see the way we applied ourselves – that's four clean sheets in four games, and we scored three goals.

"I said to the players, when we win games and we don't concede, don't talk to me about goal difference. Everybody, every interview I did after every game, it was about goal difference because of what happened on the last day of the season.

"But our players knew that we needed to fight in order to get this promotion, and again, four clean sheets backs up everything, the way we played these play-offs."

Spurs arrived at the Harry Gwala Stadium only needing a point having beaten Casric Stars twice and Maritzburg in their home fixture, with Bartlett delighted that the players got the job done. 

"Ja, we obviously knew exactly what we needed to do in order to get that promotion. I said in pre-match [meeting], the intention was to go for the win, but they made it difficult for us," he added.

"In the second half, it was pelting balls forward and obviously making sure they put us under pressure, but we were resilient and really committed in our defending, and everybody gave it their all.

"I think I couldn't ask more of any player, from the front to the back with the goalkeeper. I think everybody applied themselves in order to get the result that we wanted for promotion."

Bartlett feels Spurs won’t struggle to adapt to being a topflight club as they were already set up as one in their organisation both on and off the pitch. 

"My players know, I coach the man first before the player, otherwise I won't get anything out of them as footballers, and mentally and physically we apply ourselves everywhere possible – we take care of these boys as much as we can," he noted.

"We were operating at DStv Premiership level – that's without a doubt, and now the club, players, and everybody has the reward as far as competing now.

"And I've got no more trips to Venda, thanks Mr. Schloss. No more trips to Venda. Hopefully no DStv Premiership in Venda, but we can play in good stadiums now – I think that, for me, is the reward for these players."