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Barker looks to beef up Maritzburg

Cape Town - It has been a woeful start to the season for Maritzburg United. 

After having celebrated their best ever PSL finish in the 2014/15 season, the Team of Choice were dealt a massive blow with the news that coach Steve Komphela - the man who orchestrated that success - was off to Kaizer Chiefs. 

Things have not been the same since Komphela left. 

His assistant, Mandla Ncikazi, took over the reins but United slumped to the foot of the table with a draw and four losses before sacking their new coach. 

And now, Bafana Bafana's most celebrated coach has jumped on board to save the sinking ship. 

Clive Barker, 71, is in charge at Harry Gwala Stadium and says he will be active in the January transfer window in an attempt to get United moving up the table.

The 1996 AFCON-winning coach said that the current crop of players certainly had the ability, but that the squad did need to be be boosted by a couple of new faces.

"You’d highlight the goalkeepers because you’ve let a good goalkeeper go and not replaced him. So I would think that goalkeeper is first priority and then maybe a defender on the left or right side," Barker said, making reference to Shu-Aib Walters' move to Mpumalanga Black Aces.

"I would be quite happy with three players, I would think that would be sufficient.

"We don’t want to name them because the minute it’s known you are after a player his fee doubles."

Maritzburg are next in league action when they take on Chippa United at home on Wednesday, October 21.

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