Greg Etafia Believes His Former Club Can Win South African League

Former Moroka Swallows of South Africa goalkeeper, Greg Etafia is making a strong case for the team where he starred for the longest spell of his active career, as the Nigerian ex-international declared that they look good to be crowned champions this season in The Rainbow Nation. BSNSports com.ng reports that Etafia went on to opine that the current side’s unbeaten start to the season suggests that they are in the running for the DStv Premiership title, following an early haul of 26 points from 12 games that saw The Swallows tied on points with leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. Both sides clashed at Lucas Moripe Stadium in a top-of-the-table clash last weekend and Etafia admitted he was thrilled seeing that Swallows are still one of three clubs yet to taste defeat this term, along with Sundowns and Golden Arrows, in a glorious start that not many predicted. Their 12-game unbeaten run means they are just a game away from equaling their best-ever run of going 13 games without a loss, which they achieved at the end of the 2011/12 season when they lost out on the league on the final day of the season. That Swallows squad also boasted the likes of Lerato Chabangu, Bennett Chenene, Ashraf Hendricks, David Mathebula, Luvhengo Mungomeni, James Mayinga, Giorgi Nergadze and Lefa Tsutsulupa as the more prominent names who put in the bulk of minutes. Etafia said he is already thinking big for Swallows, who are being coached by Brandon ‘Brakkies’ Truter, with his first season in the top-flight, and the Nigerian icon told KickOff.com: “The way the current Swallows team is moving reminds me of when we took Orlando Pirates all the way to the last game in the race. “With Gordon [Igesund] we were consistent and had experience in the team plus we were a happy group. We had quality when we nearly won that league. The consistency of their playing style is what has gotten them to where they are. “High pressing, intensity and comfortable on the ball. When they attack, they always have numbers in the last third. Credit to the coaches for that because it takes both knowledge and the players to make it happen. Management has done its job as well by doing the right things. “I am so happy for them. At the beginning of the season they would have been fine with keeping their place in the league but they are now in the running for the league even though they are not saying it to the outside world.”