Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - Platinum Stars dribbling wizard Mahlatsi Makudubela hopes to become the
catalyst for his club's resurgence when the second half of the football
league gets underway next month.
With 14 games still to be played, Makudubela said he would fight to ensure Dikwena - the crocodiles - stayed afloat in the murky Premiership waters.
"I've told myself that I will do my best to make sure that we move from where we are and finish in a good position by the time the season is over," Makudubela said on Thursday.
"We know that we are better than this. Our position at the moment is a wrong reflection of the team."
The Rustenburg outfit were lying deep in the relegation zone after their indifferent form so far this season, which had seen them win four, draw five and lose seven matches.
Only AmaZulu were below them on the premier league table.
Despite their poor run, Makudubela said Stars had the quality to turn their season around.
"Our team has top players who can compete with the best in the country.
"We just have to get our act together and start getting the results."
To do so, the team would need to maintain a consistent mindset for each remaining game, the blistering winger said.
"In some matches against the top teams in the league, we have shown how good we can be. And then in some matches it's like we are not really there.
"Our focus is to approach each game in the same way."
In a complete contrast, Platinum Stars were one of the top league contenders during the 2012/2013 season only to fall short to Kaizer Chiefs.
With limited resources, their impressive form last season seemingly took a lot out of Stars. The Phokeng-based outfit clinched the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout Cup with a squad boasting no big-name players.
As a result of their outstanding campaign, they lost a number of their best players to some of the big-spending Premiership clubs.
Having had to adjust to the changes in the team, Makudubela felt the current league break had given them an opportunity to improve on their weaknesses.
"We have been working hard in training, trying to fix some of our mistakes from the previous matches.
"As a team, we sat down and each expressed ourselves as to what were the biggest challenges."
Stars still had a month to address some of their tactical frailties before their resumption of the league against Mpumalanga Black Aces on February 11.
