Early as it is in the season, Marumo Gallants head coach Dan Malesela is already admitting he is under pressure to keep the club in the Betway Premiership.
Gallants's good performances on the pitch were finally rewarded last weekend following a 1-0 home victory over AmaZulu FC.
They are now in fourth place on the log with three points from four matches, three above bottom-placed AmaZulu FC and TS Galaxy, both of whom are still looking for a first win of the campaign.
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Next up for the Bloemfontein-based side is Galaxy at the Free State Stadium on 26 October.
"I'm happy with the performance but not happy with the results. We could have gotten some points in some games. There are games where I felt we deserved something," admits Malesela, speaking to KickOff.
"We had a problem with centre-backs, but we are now trying to solve it. I'm hoping the last game is a reflection of what's to come. There's always pressure in football. As a coach, you cannot say you are not under pressure because there's always pressure on coaches, whether you are doing well or not.
"There's pressure to win, there's pressure to satisfy people, there's pressure to ease people's minds, and there's pressure to remove doubts. There's no way you can get away from pressure because it goes hand-in-hand with coaching.
"A coach who will claim not to be under pressure, he is lying. It's like mandates; they are all dependent. You can tell a coach where you want to finish and all that, but you must understand sometimes it's not by choice he finds himself in a relegation battle.
"Sometimes you find yourself at the bottom of the log table, and when that happens, you need to change your focus and now be focused on moving the club away from the bottom of the table.
"It's difficult to have a choice, especially with a new club. We need to keep the club's status safe first and move the club away from the bottom. You can't plan for the future while you are at the bottom," adds 'Dan Dance'.
Malesela then went on to make a bold proclamation about Siwelele Sa Marumo's prospects for this season.
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"It's only four matches, so I don't think this team will stay there at the bottom for a long time. So, no relegation for Marumo Gallants this season unless I'm no longer there."
The Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns legend also moved to quell reports that he will be soon be part of a co-coaching arrangement at Gallants.
"[Laughs] It's news to me. A lot is being written about us. I don't know whether it's boredom or something, but Marumo Gallants seems to be everybody's playground. How can the club appoint a co-coach without my approval?"