Barker hopes Kaizer Chiefs' Du Preez will not come back to haunt Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker hopes Ashley Du Preez does not come back to haunt them when they play against his new team Kaizer Chiefs.

The forward joined Amakhosi recently from Stellies alongside defender Zitha Kwinika.

Chiefs will start their Premier Soccer League campaign against Stellenbosch before meeting again in the MTN8 quarter-finals.

"So it is always satisfying for me to see players do well and move on, and then make really good careers for themselves, and I’m hoping Ashley will too," Barker told iDiski Times.

"Undoubtedly, he has got the talent and the ability, so we only wish him well and ja, ironically, we play Chiefs in the quarter-final of the MTN8, and their first game in Chiefs colours will be against us!

"It's going to be very interesting, as long as Ashley doesn’t score, he could be in trouble here."

Du Preez played 29 PSL matches for his former team, scored nine goals and provided two assists.

The 54-year-old former AmaZulu tactician further appreciated Kwinika for his impact at the club before the Soweto heavyweights came in for his services.

"You know, he was massive for us in the two years that he was here, his leadership and quality of play, the calmness he brings to the field. So we only wish him well," Barker continued.

"I think I've never been a coach that doesn’t believe that there's other opportunities that are perhaps at that stage of a player’s career more lucrative or from a football expense, uplift them, then they must take those opportunities."

Stellies finished fourth on the PSL table last season with 47 points.