Sekhukhune United coach Lehlohonolo Seema says he anticipates a tough clash against Richards Bay in the Carling Knockout Cup last 16 at King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi this afternoon (3pm).
Sekhukhune enjoyed their best campaign in the league last season as they finished fourth, qualifying for back-to-back Caf Confederation Cup campaigns.
Their continental run was short-lived, though, as they crashed out in the preliminaries, adding to their quarter-final heartbreak in the first domestic cup, the MTN8.
Babina Noko dusted themselves off from those shortcomings to start the Betway Premiership campaign on a high, following two wins and one draw.
The impressive start in the league has since been credited to Seema who seems to have rediscovered his mojo at the club after returning in winter to replace Peter Hyballa.
The latter resigned amid a sexual scandal on the eve of his first game having been brought in to replace Seema who was sacked after being put on special leave by the club in May.
Seema initially arrived at Babina Noko to replace Brandon Truter who’s since returned to Richards following the departure of Vilakazi before the start of the season.
And so, as the two coaches try to settle into their new roles, Seema predicts that the recently closed Fifa window allowed them to adapt better.
“I think both teams are in transition,” Seema said. “I came back, and he (Truter) went there. They are a team that’s improving in every game.
“If you check how they are playing, and with the margin of the scores, they are a team that’s really doing well. They have a lot of dynamics which are changing, but we are working on them.
“It’s going to be a very difficult game. I don’t think returning to the club is going to give me an edge. I think the break gave us coaches a lot of time to work on whatever.”
Sekhukhune trimmed the fat during the transfer window, releasing campaigners such as Sibusiso Vilakazi, Edwin Gyimah, Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya and Thamsanqa Masiya.
They didn’t rest on their laurels, though, bolstering the squad with players such as Sipho Mbule, Lesedi Kapinga, Shaun Mogaila, and Njabulo Ngcobo.
“In the first games that we played, including the MTN8 and league, it was where as the technical team we were checking how far we are as a team,” Seema said.
“We are trying to get the combinations and relationships with the team. We were still trying to find out things – and currently, we have an idea of how we want to play.
“The relationship between the old players and new ones is growing. I think starting from this game something should happen between the players automatically because we’ve been working.”
Mbule’s arrival at Babina Noko, albeit on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns, is expected to add more vigour to the team. And Seema says it’s a matter of time before he makes a telling impact.
“It’s good to have a guy like Sipho in the team – he’s settling in very well. He looks happy at training and he’s working hard,” Seema said.
“We are quite aware that he hasn’t been playing for some time. We are quite happy when he’s in the mix, but we’ll build him gradually. You’ll see him here and there until he’s ready.”