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Cape Town - New Ajax Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertugral is confident he can turn around the club's fortunes and help them escape top-flight relegation.
Ertugral replaced former head coach Jan Versleijen this week, on the eve of their crucial Absa Premiership derby against fellow strugglers Chippa United at Philippi Stadium on Saturday.
Versleijen stepped down, citing his disagreement with the initial appointment of Ertugral as the club's technical director.
Now in his third spell with the Urban Warriors, the Turk took charge with Ajax in second last position in the table, ahead of the weekend fixtures, three points clear of Chippa.
"I think we can achieve a lot in four games," Ertugral said.
"I know most of the players, and I can see the spirit will be passed over to me and the players. I need to give them the energy, the confidence. I think we can make it.
"If I had any doubts in my mind I would not have come."
Recently appointed Chippa coach Mark Harrison, the club's sixth manager of the season, preferred to play down the significance of the derby factor, but he was also confident they could avoid the chop.
"We have got to go do our job and that's all we can do," Harrison said.
"We can't look at permutations. It's in our hands now, and we can stay in this league.
"I don’t think in a local relegation derby there are any favourites. It’s going to be 22 players out there giving everything they have got to try and achieve three points."
Even if they failed to pick up points this weekend, Harrison felt they were in with a chance of clawing their way out of the bottom two.
"This is just another game. You can't go into it in a frenzy. You have to approach it as you would any other game.
"Lose, win or draw, we still have three games after this."
