East Cape deserves another pro team — Highbury coach Sibiya

Highbury head coach Kabelo Sibiya believes the Eastern Cape is bursting with talented football players and deserves another team in the professional set-up.

The well-travelled coach, who has coached TS Sporting and Amavarara  among others,  said two teams were not enough for the province’s riches in talent.

In their mission to make the club fully Eastern Cape-represented both on and off the field, the coach said the bulk of the new players coming in were from the province.

Added to that, the Motsepe Foundation Championship side have recently roped in the seasoned football administrator and former Safa manager of membership and governance, Isaac Klaas, as the team’s new general manager.

Sibiya, 40, who is originally from the North West said, as the technical team they made it their priority to increase the number of Eastern Cape-based players in the squad.

The coach has been given a three-year contract by the club’s boss, Cameron Klopper.

“It was very difficult last season to get local players in the team, but now we went out and invited most of the Eastern Cape players that were playing in the Motsepe Championship, and some of them played in the DStv Premiership,” Sibiya said.

“By doing that, we are doing our best to try and show the Eastern Cape people that this team is not for Gqeberha only.

“We believe this is enough to say to the people that this is their team.

“I was very happy with the talent that we saw and I really believe that the province needed another [professional] team that can give these players an opportunity.

“I don’t think one [professional] team was enough for the whole province to be honest, there is massive talent here.

“I would be happy to see another team from the province getting promoted to the Motsepe Championship after the upcoming season so that we maximise the number of clubs in the province.”

Highbury are expected to unveil their new players this week.

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