The club was promoted as Motsepe Foundation Championship winners, ahead of Orbit College, who secured their top-flight spot through the play-offs.

They find themselves in seventh place on the league standings with 18 points after 12 games – six behind league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, having picked up an important three points with a 1-0 win over Marumo Gallants last time out.

Next up is a trip to face Richards Bay at the Richards Bay Stadium on 23 November.

Dladla said on IOL: “This break is something that we expected and planned for because it’s there in the calendar.

“It provides a crucial window for two key objectives: managing the minor knocks we have, and focusing on deep tactical work to ensure we improve holistically.”

“Our performance levels have been good, but turning them into wins was the challenge,” Dladla admits.”

Reflecting on their recent victory, the assistant coach added: “That last victory was vital. Our task now is to lock in that winning mentality and carry it forward.

“The work now is entirely about specificity.

“We are deconstructing the specific challenges from our previous matches, and our sessions are designed to address them directly. Alongside this, we are drilling down into individual tactical development, sharpening each player’s development areas and reinforcing their strengths.

“This period helps us reset the body and mind,” he says. “But most importantly, it helps us prepare with purpose. We want to come out of this break stronger than when we entered it.”