Adnan Beganovic sets sights on top-eight finish for TS Galaxy

TS Galaxy head coach Adnan Beganovic has made it clear that his side should no longer be spoken about in relegation terms, as they prepare to open their Betway Premiership campaign against newly promoted Durban City on Sunday.

The Rockets finished last season inside the top eight, and the Serbian tactician wants to build on that momentum rather than dwell on survival battles of the past.

The Mpumalanga-based club were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the MTN8 by Sekhukhune United last week.

“I think this season I don’t want to talk about surviving. I don’t want to talk about the same issues,” Beganovic said. “I saw exactly what we have, and we analysed everything, and we just use what we have in that moment."

He further added: “I can promise you we’ll be a tough opponent for every team. We want to put our goals high, we want to fight for a top-eight spot because of everything we did in the last six, seven months.

“We started this pre-season, and we want to just add on everything we did last season. I know it can’t be easy, and we will need time to teach our new players our vision, our philosophy and our model — how we want to look, how we want to play this season. Until now, I’m happy with what I saw in pre-season.”

Galaxy’s home opener against Gavin Hunt’s Durban City will be an early test of their readiness, particularly with the visitors eager to make a mark in their first-ever top-flight campaign.

The Rockets will also head into the match with one of their standout performers from last season still in the squad — despite transfer speculation.

Defender Khulumani Ndamane has been heavily linked with a move to champions Mamelodi Sundowns, with reports suggesting that talks between the clubs had advanced in recent weeks.

However, Beganovic was emphatic in his response when asked about the 21-year-old’s future during the 2025/26 season launch.

“I can promise you he’s staying here with us,” the coach declared, with a potential loan-back arrangement to Galaxy understood to be part of ongoing discussions should a transfer materialise.

Ndamane enjoyed a stellar first top-flight season in 2024/25, featuring in 27 matches across all competitions and playing a key role in helping Galaxy secure a top-eight finish. His performances also earned him recognition from Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, adding to his growing reputation as one of the league’s brightest young defenders.

With a settled core, renewed ambition, and a coach intent on raising the club’s standards, Galaxy head into the new season determined to push further up the table — and leave any talk of relegation firmly in the past.