Middendorp’s future at Urban Warriors still unclear

Coach Ernst Middendorp revealed his future is unclear at Cape Town Spurs after relegation, saying if he were to leave the Urban Warriors for a Premiership side he would go with at least eight players including Ashley Cupido and Rushwin Dortley.

Spurs finished bottom of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) table after winning just six of 30 league fixtures, with 19 defeats and five draws. Middendorp only oversaw 19 league games, winning just five with nine losses and five draws, having joined on a two-year deal in November 2023. 

“Every time I am prepared for anything. Actually I have no idea [if he’ll stay or leave]. We were focused on the game. I will definitely need six or seven days just to sleep and not do anything. We will talk and look at possibilities,” Middendorp said.

“Of course, we have to see who’s coming. A lot of teams have already been knocking on the door regarding players. If I would be on the other side, a team coaching, I would go for Asanele [Velebayi], I would go for Ashley, I would go for Liam [Bern], I would go for Siviwe [Nkwali], I would go for Rushwin. I would take definitely eight to 10 players.”

Spurs started the season with Shaun Bartlett as their mentor but he was sacked after losing the seven opening league games, having guided the club to promotion from the Motsepe Foundation Championship. Sean Conor replaced Bartlett on a caretaker basis, winning just one of the four games he was in charge of, with three losses, before the club went for Middendorp.

Middendorp insinuated that he would have saved the Urban Warriors had he arrived earlier, applauding their form post the Africa Cup of Nations, where they collected 18 points from a possible 43.

“I said it a number of times, unreal PSL log table. If you look at the 14 games we played after Afcon, I think we’d be sixth on the log because we did really well. We are relegated, it’s painful,” Middendorp said.