PIC: Oshwin Andries

Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker says teenage defender Oshwin Andries, who died last weekend, would have wanted his teammates back in action and winning when they compete in the Nedbank Cup on Saturday.

Stellenbosch host Swallows FC at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town one week after Andries died suddenly, seven days after being involved in a stabbing incident.

Barker paid a fulsome tribute to 19-year-old defender as he looked ahead to the Nedbank Cup first round tie, which he said would be an emotional experience for all his players.

“We’ve had people helping the players deal with their feelings and making them aware that everybody goes through different things when you deal with tragedy, getting the players to know that whatever they are feeling is fine and they mustn't feel guilty about it,” Barker said.

“But it's also about getting back on the field, getting back to our daily work and knowing that Oshwin would have wanted us to continue playing and have the joy for the game and get smiles back on our faces. And to do what we love doing,” Barker added.

“We've got support for everybody at the club who may need it. There's obviously one or two players that it's affected deeply, especially those from his neighbourhood and who grew up with him in Stellenbosch. It is for us to make sure that we support them.”

But all the club, he predicted, would feel the emotion when they take to the pitch on Saturday.

“It will be tough emotionally obviously on Saturday. It's still close to home. There's obviously a minute's silence and maybe a tribute or two in his honour at the game so emotions will be high.

“But it's important that we just understand that we need to have emotion. It's about how we manage it, how we use it to galvanise the team, to bring us even closer together, continue to fight for each other. It's already been a very tough season emotionally for the club with a lot of difficult things.”

Captain Dean van Rooyen, who was Andries’ cousin, lost both his parents in a short space of time while back-up goalkeeper Keegan Pool has been battling cancer.

Despite the tragedy, and its impact, Barker said he was hoping for a good cup run. Stellenbosch have lost in the Nedbank Cup first round for the last three years.

“I think if you get past the first hurdle and into Last 16 and then one more game and into the last eight, then I do think the mood will pick up.

“For the players the fact they may have a chance of getting to a final, that will galvanise us and push us forward. We believe at some stage we have to have a good cup run and reach the semifinal or the final. So I'm hoping that this will be the season,” the coach added.

Barker knows all about cup runs having taken second-tier University of Pretoria to the final in 2009 where they lost to Moroka Swallows, who may share a name with Swallows FC but are not the same club.

Stellenbosch have not fared too well in the Nedbank Cup under him though and have yet to make it past the second round, having twice gone out to Kaizer Chiefs (2017 and 2018), and at the hands of Maritzburg United on penalties in 2020.

They were defeated 3-2 in a cup classic by Mamelodi Sundowns in 2021 and were beaten 1-0 at home by Baroka FC in the Last 32 last season. It means they have won just one of their six Nedbank Cup games before this season.