MTNFootball

Bloemfontein had a disappointing 2011/12 season by their standards, but still managed to squeak into the top eight.

They are looking for much better this time round, with coach Clinton Larsen expecting a top-four finish and hopefully a cup.

He will be aided this year by the vastly experienced Boebie Solomons, who has been brought from Santos to offer advice on how to sure-up the Celtic backline.

This will be especially needed with the loss of Erick Mathoho and Kgotso Moleko to Kaizer Chiefs, two players who had featured heavily in the last campaign.

In all, the club sold or released 14 players at the end of last season, a major clear-out of mostly older players who Larsen feels will not add value this season.

They look to have bought quite well, Botswana international Joel Mogorosi is one to watch, while Ghanaian midfielder John Arwuah is a top player when fit.

Their problem in the previous season was finding a regular goalscorer and Larsen will hope that Siyabonga Nontshinga, an acquisition from Jomo Cosmos, will solve that problem.

Celtic have never won the South African top-flight and it seems unlikely they will break that run this year.

But they are a good bet for one of the cups, especially if they get the luck of a number of home draws, having proven exceptionally difficult to beat in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo in recent seasons.