Promotion ... it’s all over – Shitolo

GLADWIN Shitolo has often been lauded for his tenacity and never-say-die attitude, but the player has all but given up on winning promotion to the top flight with National First Division club Jomo Cosmos.

Beleaguered Cosmos dropped to 10th place in the First Division last weekend after a 2-1 loss to Witbank Spurs – their third straight defeat – and are now 13 points behind leaders Thanda Royal Zulu with 15 matches to play in the second tier.

Ezenkosi, who have gone seven matches without a win in the league, have set themselves a target of winning the next 10 matches to have some hope of qualifying for the end of season play-offs, but Shitolo says he and his teammates do not believe it’s possible. He says it’s too late for Ezenkosi to mount a challenge for promotion, or fight for one of the three playoff places on offer.

“The gap is too huge. It’s too late now,” Shitolo said yesterday after a training session which was conducted by assistants Gerald Mtshali and Siza Dlamini, in the absence of head honcho Jomo Sono.

“We plan to win the next 10 games. We are not doing enough to collect points. We were expected to be on top of the league, but it’s been a bitter disappointment. Things happen and you have to accept it and keep working. Even our fans don’t have confidence in us now. Maybe if we can win our next match, we will get our confidence back. It will kickstart our fightback,” the former Under-20 defender said.

Shitolo says Cosmos, who last won a match in November, have struggled to adapt to the Under-23 rule in the First Division, which forces clubs to have five Under-23 players on the pitch in their matches at all times.

“Our Under-23s were not ready. The coaches have said they are not ready, but they are getting there. We are encouraging them to get in there and adapt to the league. We lost games we should have won. It’s going to take time to adjust to this rule, whereas other clubs in the league had the chance of adjusting last season when it was introduced.”

Cosmos are just four points ahead of FC AK, who are in 15th place, and could get sucked deeper into the relegation quagmire.

“Right now I think we should just go for the kill and see what happens. Every match will be like a final for us,” said the loyal Shitolo, who said he would stay with the club should they fail to win promotion.

Cosmos could find solace in the Nedbank Cup, Shitolo says.

They play fellow First Division outfit United FC, who knocked out Premiership strugglers Chippa United in the last 32, at Makhulong Stadium on Saturday. “We did not know how they play when we played them in the first half of the season, but now we know how to prepare for them and we believe we can do well.”

Cosmos may know how United FC play, but Shitolo said it will be difficult to stop their tricky players who play “carpet football”.