Betway Premiership: Kaizer Chiefs have improved – Steve Barker

Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has given his assessment of Kaizer Chiefs’ performance this season. He said this ahead of their meeting on Sunday.

Stellies host the Soweto-based opponents in a Carling Knockout round-of-16 game at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.

The hosts’ coach described the Carling Knockout competition as another window of opportunity for them to put their campaign back on track.

Coach Steve Barker has got the team focusing on their own strengths ahead of Sunday’s #CarlingKnockout clash against @KaizerChiefs ⬇️

#HeartoftheCape #MoreThanFootball #StellenboschFC 🍇

— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) October 3, 2025

The 2024-2025 Confederation Cup semifinalists are struggling in the Betway Premiership. They lie in position 14 with just one win in nine league games.

Steve Barker recalls MTN8 heartbreak ahead of Carling Knockout meeting

Barker’s men also lost to Orlando Pirates in a recent MTN8 final for the second back-to-back seasons. Therefore, the coach called on his players to bounce back to winning ways.

“Cup competitions are always exciting, and the Carling Knockout is another opportunity for us to challenge for another trophy,” Barker told his club’s media.

“It’s also nice to be playing at home first and against a team like Kaizer Chiefs. The mood is good and we have prepared well, with the boys showing a lot of energy and enthusiasm.”

Can Stellenbosch FC repeat their 2013 Carling Knockout heroics?

Stellenbosch FC hope to repeat the feat of 2023 when they won the Carling Knockout trophy. Barker’s believes they have an obligation to atone for the MTN8 failure.

“Firstly, when you reach a final and lose out like we did in the MTN8 final this year, you want to rectify those wrongs,” he added.

“We also recently lifted this trophy, and there are a lot of players in this squad who were part of that team, and that all drives us to do the best that we can. It’s a very big and important match for us, and everyone is really keen to make sure we advance to the next round.”

Chiefs have already beaten Stellies this season in the early stages of the Betway Premiership and hope to repeat that dominance.

“In the first encounter, when we got the red card early in the game, it changed the whole complexion of the fixture,” Barker reflected.

“But Chiefs have shown this season that they have improved and that they are very competitive. They’ve got some really good individuals and a certain way that they are looking to play, so we are expecting nothing but a tough game.

“It’s up to us to concentrate on what we can do and on what we’re good at. We’ve got to improve in certain areas, and we’ve been working hard on those in training, and hopefully, with it being a Cup game, we can take the opportunity to get into a quarter-final.”