Black Leopards coach Mr Kostadin Papic says his team urgently needs reliable strikers and midfielders.

He says it is important to sign the right players in order to take the team back to the Premier Soccer League.

After his team had played to a goalless draw against Witbank Spurs at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, Papic added that he did not have magic. “Most of the players are inexperienced,” he added. “We need to go back to the PSL, but with this material, it will be difficult. I don’t care whether we are playing in front of a crowd in Thohoyandou or not. This is a good ground and the team was supposed to collect maximum points at home,” he said.

Leopards have thus far played four games in the National First Division; three were draws, and they lost 1-2 against African Warriors.

Witbank Spurs coach Phuti Mohafe said sharing points with Leopards was a relief to his team as they had recently lost two games in a row. “We lost 0-2 against Sivutsa Stars and 1-2 against the Maluti FET College. Our striking force is a concern and we must work on it,” said Mohafe.

The spokesperson for Black Leopards, Barry Ramunenyiwa, said the time to register other players was closed. He added that they still believed in coach Papic. "He did a good job in building a new team, which is stronger than the previous one that was relegated.”

He mentioned that they were supporting Papic and when the new registration window period opened, “we will let him get other players. We are still on track and have hope that we are going to get the winning formula soon. We are still campaigning to take the team back to the PSL," said Ramunenyiwa.