Casric Stars are eagerly anticipating their potential promotion to the Betway Premiership, with assistant coach Thabo Nthethe affirming his side’s readiness for the upcoming promotion/relegation play-offs.
After a strong showing in the recently concluded Motsepe Foundation Championship, finishing third behind Orbit College and champions Durban City, the Stars are determined to seize this opportunity.
Casric Stars’ play-off campaign kicks off later today at Olympia Park Stadium, where they’ll face the Orbit College. Next week, they’ll go head-to-head with Cape Town City.
These two fixtures are part of a four-game round-robin mini-tournament that will ultimately decide which team earns a coveted spot in South Africa’s top-flight league next season.
Read: A Rollercoaster Return to the Top-Flight
This isn’t Casric Stars’ first rodeo. They previously competed in these play-offs during the 2022/23 season but fell short in their bid for promotion. This past experience, however, seems to have fueled their resolve.
“The boys are excited to be a part of the playoffs this season,” Nthethe told IOL. “We are where we are because we want promotion. This is our opportunity to showcase ourselves, and if we win the mini-tournament, we’ll go through. It’s another chance.”
Nthethe acknowledged his team’s commendable performance throughout the regular season, while also hinting at a desire for an even stronger finish. “The boys did well this season, but we should’ve ended the campaign further up the table,” he admitted.
The road to the play-offs hasn’t been without its challenges, as Nthethe explained. “We’ve been doing our best to keep the players motivated because the league took time to finalize things due to the case.
We tried to keep the players active and fresh by giving them off days to recover ahead of the tournament, but now we’re ready.”
This period of uncertainty and delay could have dampened spirits, but Nthethe’s comments suggest the coaching staff has effectively managed to keep the squad focused and physically prepared.
With past experience to draw upon and a renewed sense of purpose, Casric Stars are clearly setting their sights on Betway Premiership football. Kick off at Olympia Park is set for 15h00 on Wednesday, 11 June 2025.