Following his appointment as the new head coach of Venda Football Club (VFC) three weeks ago, Mr. Vladislav Heric is optimistic that his team can still finish among the top three at the end of the season.

In an interview after the team’s 1-0 victory over Kruger United in their Motsepe Foundation Championship League match at Thohoyandou Stadium, the Serbian coach said his short-term goal was to lift the team out of the relegation zone.

When Heric took over from Duncan Lechesa three weeks ago, VFC had yet to register a win and had managed to collect only one point from their first five games. His debut game with VFC was a 0-1 loss to Upington City at Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium in Upington.

The 58-year-old coach said that during his time at VFC over the past three weeks, he had observed a lot of talent within the squad. He admitted he could not understand why the team had yet to win a league match when he had accepted the job offer.

Heric said he would shift his focus to the league title once the team had moved out of the danger zone. He believes that winning the league title is still possible, considering there are 23 matches left to play before the end of the season. According to him, if the team can win their home games and secure at least a draw away, they can rise to the top.

Heric expressed optimism that their newly acquired striker, Judas Moseamedi, will end the team’s goal drought. Moseamedi scored the decisive goal when VFC beat Kruger United at Thohoyandou Stadium last Saturday.

When asked whether there was a need to reinforce the squad during the transfer window in January, Heric was quick to mention that the team was still lacking in the midfield. He added that VFC would be a formidable force if they managed to sign a seasoned midfielder and a strong defender.