Isaacs was on the brink of seeking greener pastures away from the club recently, but decided that under the tenure of Clive Barker he would remain with the Clever Boys, a place which he calls his home away from home.

“Fortunes have turned in a sort of way, but I have set myself the target of reaching certain goals by the end of the season,” Isaacs explained. “I will know when I am feeling like I have reached top form because the match against Leopards was not one of my best games even though I scored.”

Isaacs also went on to reveal what coach Barker – a man that he credits with renewing his lost confidence – said to him to convince him to remain part of the team.

“Obviously he knows that it is not easy for Cape Town boys to come here and to play because it is difficult. He was talking nicely to me. I told him that if I got an opportunity then I will produce in every game that I play,” Isaacs continued.

“I know what I can do on the field of play and I believe. I am a big believer, I have faith. He said I must keep working hard at training and show people what I can do.”

Isaacs, who was a peripheral figure in the first round of the season under the departed Antonio Lopez, is now looking forward to facing Bloemfontein Celtic this weekend, but voiced his concern about the heavy fixture schedule.

“Firstly we are professionals and we must know how to handle things. We must take it one match at a time. We have to win that game against Celtic because the three points are vital at this time of the season,” the speedster said.

“We are close to each other on the log so we are hoping to create some distance between us and them and also the teams that are under us. Our target is to finish in the top eight and we are still on track with that goal. We know that Celtic are a good team, but most importantly they are tough to beat at home because they have passionate home fans.”

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The training match was played at a soaking wet Rand Stadium in the south of Johannesburg on Tuesday evening, giving Barker his first match situation since he took over as coach.

The Clever Boys were brave in defence as they held the fast Moroccan forwards and put the North African defenders under some pressure too, but the hosts could not make it count in the final third of the field.

Barker, who is an AFCON winner as coach of Bafana Bafana in 1996, was happy with the level of opposition and outcome of the match.

The coach used two different teams in each half to test combinations ahead of the Premier Soccer League restart in February.

Players that were used sparingly in the first half of the season got an extended run and the match saw the return of goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane, who replaced Ryan Harrison at the interval.

“It was my first experience at seeing what the boys can do out there on the field. I am satisfied with the outcome of the match because most players had a run out there,” Barker said.

“There will be a few more friendly matches that we will play ahead of the resumption of the league. We have Golden Arrows lined up for a four-team tournament as well.”

Bafana Bafana face Morocco at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on 27 January in their final Group A match and Barker is confident that South Africa can win.

“Morocco are a good team and they have proved that today. They had some skilful players who are capable of individual brilliance and they gave our defence a good working out.

But having seen them play tonight, I am confident that Bafana can do well against them. Comparing Morocco to Bafana based on this match, I think we will beat them in the Nations Cup,

Barker concluded.

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