Cape Town – "Winning," said Highlands Park coach Owen Da Gama, "is the name of the game" following "The Lions of the North" decision to play their season-opening Absa Premiership crowd-puller against Kaizer Chiefs at the compact Makhulong Stadium instead of switching to a venue where they could have doubled the crowd – and more.
Highlands' home ground in Tembisa has a maximum capacity of barely 12 000 and at a more spacious venue the timely fixture could well have drawn anything up to 30 000 spectators.
"But our objective," added De Gama, "is to play where we have the best chance of winning – and also reward our supporters for the ongoing support they gave us during the past season."
The Highlands coach said many soccer followers did not comprehend – or were not even aware – of the glamour status and success the club had enjoyed prior to the controversial sale of their premier division status to Jomo Cosmos in 1982.
"For more than three decades the club went out of existence in the professional ranks," added Da Gama, "but the ambition now is to get back to where we once were.
"After regaining Premier League status last season with promotion from the NFD, we surprised many by qualifying for the Top Eight competition, while edging out Chiefs in the process, and that is what is adding additional spice to the season opener on August 4."
Da Gama believes that after making five calculated player purchases during the off-season, Highlands are now equipped to take another step forward iRead More
