This could become reality if his team squeezes out all three points from Bloemfontein Celtic this afternoon at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium (15h00).
Victory this afternoon for Bakgaga will push them up from the mud into a position of safety in 12th place, proving just how much of a jungle the drop zone remains as seven teams can still get sucked in.
Bottom-placed Highlands Park are separated by just a mere four points from 10th-placed Platinum Stars with Baroka, Free State Stars, Celtic, Chippa United and Ajax Cape Town all jammed up in that danger zone.
“We are not going to get relegated,” states Dlamini boldly with conviction written all over his assertion.
Baroka have not failed to score in their last six games during which they have drawn with Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and taken all the points from SuperSport United and Free State.
“We are still going to play Highlands Park at home, they are coming to us at home so we have to get the result there. We are still going to play Bloemfontein Celtic – who are still in the mix and they coming down there to Limpopo on Sunday.
“So with this type of spirit that you have seen of late and the mere fact that we don’t finish a game without scoring then we feel we are there and don’t deserve to be relegated based on the performance of 2017,” says Dlamini, adding that they are not even considering the playoffs – the route that the team finishing in position 15 will take.
“We are not going there. What am I doing in the play-offs? We will avoid relegation,” he declares.
“You can look at the log. This thing has even taken teams like Chippa United who are also now in the mix, they are on 24 points and we are on 22 and so one bad run of two games and there will be like five teams as candidates for relegation. It is not only the bottom two teams that will [could] be relegated.
“You will be surprised when you see a team that will come … you know the game snakes and ladders? From top there to number 16, you must remember my words. There will be the snakes and ladders that we used to play when we were growing up. It is going to take you there from number something which I won’t mention down there, not playoffs but down, gone, dead and buried,” he explains.
Considering the courageous performance in midweek against Pirates, there is reason to believe Dlamini.
