In only his first season with Stellenbosch FC, Vusi Sibiya is on the verge of making history with the modest club, as Nedbank Cup success seems very much in sight after knocking defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns out of the tournament in spectacular come-from-behind fashion. After his delayed start to the campaign due to injury, the towering defender has stood up to be one of the key figures in coach Steve Barker's side. The 28-year-old is big on leadership, but reckons he and the other senior players don't have to do much in that department as the Stellies youngsters are already on a straight and narrow path. In this interview, Sibiya tells Soccer Laduma's Masebe Qina how they masterminded the exit of the Brazilians to deny them a domestic cup double. He goes on to reveal what the untimely passing of Oshwin Andries has indirectly done to motivate the team, while he also discusses the plan to finish in the Top Eight bracket, having had a somewhat lacklustre league season as a team.
Masebe Qina: Congratulations on progressing to the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup after defeating defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns two weekends ago. What did the victory do for the mood in the Stellenbosch FC camp?
Vusi Sibiya: Obviously, it's exciting and the mood is high in camp after the win and we have set our sights on reaching the final of the competition, although we are taking it one game at a time and will not be rushing things. It's so exciting and everyone now is hoping for more. The fact that we beat Sundowns doesn't mean it ends there, but we want more to complete the job. We just have to keep on doing well and be as serious as we were in the game against Sundowns. We have a game against Sekhukhune (United) in the next round and we have to show the same commitment in order to progress and achieve our objectives.
MQ: It must be noted that you guys are one of the few teams that almost always seem to get it right against the Brazilians.
VS: I think our confidence came from the previous game we played against them in the league – the 1-1 draw at Danie Craven Stadium – because we did well that day. Also, looking at their form in their most recent games, they haven't been that great as in the past and I'm not too sure if it has anything to do with the fact that they have already won the league. We could see that they had been changing their team and hadn't been consistent and we knew that we could capitalise on that and use it to our advantage.
MQ: Coach Steve Barker says the half-time talk motivated the team as you came back for the second half guns blazing and were rewarded with an Iqraam Rayners brace to win 2-1. What did he say?
VS: The coach was complimentary of us at half-time and didn't have much to complain about. He said we had a good first half and he was satisfied with how we were playing because, if you can check, we had similar chances in the first half to those we had in the second half, but the only difference is that we converted them into goals in the second half. Our game plan was simple and that was to keep things tight and catch them on transition. The aim was to punish them from their own mistakes and that's what we did.
MQ: Did you plan for certain individuals from Downs?
VS: No, we didn't. We know that Sundowns have quality in their whole team and you can't plan about one player when you are going to play against them. We planned on how to play against their system, and it didn't really matter to us if they brought (Peter) Shalulile, (Cassius) Mailula or (Gaston) Sirino because you will never know who they will put in. From the back up to the opposite side of the field, they can change as they like as you saw against us that they had (Denis) Onyango in goals and we didn't expect that and no one predicted it. Just imagine if we had planned for (Ronwen) Williams to be in goals, only to be shocked when we realised that we would be coming up against Onyango instead. So, we planned for Sundowns as a team and not the individual players.
MQ: Great plan.
VS: For me, those are the kinds of games I enjoy taking part in because I enjoy challenges. It is those kinds of games that require your concentration to be on another level at all times. In those games, you need to make sure that you minimise your mistakes because one mistake you commit, they kill you. As a player, you have to bring your A-game in those kinds of games.
MQ: Having eliminated the champions, do you believe you can make history by reaching the final, a first for the club?
VS: Ja, I think it is pressure for us because now that we have eliminated Sundowns, everyone is expecting us to go on and win the cup. But like I say, it doesn't end with beating Sundowns and we still have to go and do the job against our next opponents. We can't say we are done since we have defeated Sundowns, it doesn't work like that in football. Luckily for us, our next game in the competition will also be at home and I think that will work to our advantage, although we will still have to go there and do the job. We can't just be talking about winning and have nothing to show for it on the field.
MQ: Before the semi-finals draw, was there any particular team you had hoped to get?
VS: For me, there was never any moment of anxiousness and I was just waiting to see whoever we were going to get, and I think it was the same feeling for everyone in the team. It wouldn't have mattered who we got, all we want is to win the trophy and we don't care who we come up against. Whether it was (Kaizer) Chiefs we got or (Orlando) Pirates or Sekhukhune, all is fine with us.
MQ: Since the untimely passing of Oshwin Andries, Stellies seem to have been motivated in their performances. Is there anything we can read into that?
VS: True, we are motivated and we are dedicating our games to him and we always make sure that we go all out. Surely, he would have loved to be part of the team in this Nedbank Cup campaign, but the unfortunate incident happened.
MQ: What do you think of scoring machine Rayners' contribution to the team since his return in January?
VS: Well, Iqraam is our (Erling) Haaland, you know. For example, Manchester City was already complete even without Haaland, but they still needed someone to score goals for them. Iqraam has had that kind of influence on us. We were playing some very good football in the first round of the season, but we fell short when it came to scoring goals and Iqraam came and solved that for us. He's scoring goals for us and that is being appreciated.
MQ: Aren't you worried that your impressive cup run might affect your efforts to finish in the Top Eight in the league?
VS: Our plan is very simple and that is to win our remaining games. Doing that will guarantee us a spot in the Top Eight. We are left with five matches and three of those will be at home and we will need to make sure that we win all our home matches. In the two that we will be playing away, we will need to make sure that we come away with something. For me, it is still very possible.
MQ: As one of the senior players in the side, how much of a role do you play in guiding the youngsters?
VS: I think we have a balanced squad, and as much as we have iintwan' ezincane (youngsters) in the team, we do also have senior players in all the positions and that is helpful to everyone in guiding each other and so on. For example, in the goalkeeping department we have Sage (Stephens), who is experienced, and up front guys like Junior (Mendieta) and others are there to lead, so you can see we do have experience in the team. Fortunately for us, our youngsters in the team are ready for football at this level and they make our job easier. We just have to guide them here and there, but it isn't too much of hard work. Ba grand (They are good) and they listen to the senior players, and that's one of the things I like the most about them.
MQ: Very good!
VS: Also, with the coach we have and the rest of the technical team, it isn't difficult to grasp the message from them when they give us instructions. The one thing I first noticed when I arrived here was that everyone at the club was so welcoming. They make sure that everyone feels at home from the word go. They make you feel appreciated and there's unity in the team.
MQ: Has everything happened the way you expected since you arrived from Baroka FC last year?
VS: Apart from the injury (at the beginning of the season), everything has happened the way I wanted. I remember when the club made enquiries on my availability, I was told that they wanted a senior player with leadership qualities to guide the youngsters in the team and I liked that because I believe that is what I have in me. So, I believe that I have those qualities and I'm providing to the team exactly what they ordered.
MQ: Anything else you'd like to say before we finish the interview?
VS: Not much, I'm just glad that some of our youngsters in the team have been getting the recognition from the junior national teams by receiving call-ups. It is proof of how good they are and it is encouraging and gives hope that in the near future, we as senior players will also get a chance in Bafana Bafana. It is a motivation.
MQ: Spinner, it's been great and we wish you and everyone at Stellies everything of the best in your Nedbank Cup campaign and for what remains of the league season.
VS: Kubonga mina, grootman lam (Thank you, my big brother).
VUSI SIBIYA FACT FILE
Full name: Vusi Tshepo Sibiya
Date of birth: 14 June 1994
Place of birth: Ga-Rankuwa, Gauteng
Nickname: Spinner
Position: Defender
Jersey number: 5
Club: Stellenbosch FC
Previous clubs: Edu Sport FC, Tshwane University of Technology (both amateur), Baroka FC
Honours: 2018/19 Telkom Knockout winner (with Baroka), 2021 COSAFA Cup winner, 1 Bafana Bafana cap
