Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids says he will strengthen his squad in all departments before the start of the 2018-19 season, writes DYLAN APPOLIS.

Davids led his side to a club record fourth place finish in the Absa Premiership while falling short of claiming silverware this campaign after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Free State Stars in the Nedbank Cup final at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

The Cape Town-born coach insists his side will strengthen their squad after losing the likes of Kurt Lentjies, Denis Weidlich and Evans Rusike during the 2017-18 season.

‘Looking to next season, we have to go to the beginning of the season or the end of last season where we lost Kurt [Lentjies] our captain and not replaced him,’ Davids said.

‘We lost our captain in the January transfer window, Denis Weidlich, we did not replace him. We lost Evans Rusike and we have not replaced him.

‘We definitely need to strengthen our squad that’s for sure.’

The 37-year-old says his side are ahead of schedule in terms of their development, but he insists there are many areas that they still need to improve on ahead of the new campaign.

‘Our team and the individual players are improving. From the beginning of the season our playing style has evolved to now. There are so much steps we have to take,’ he added.

‘We a bit ahead of schedule. I expected the players not to be on this level yet, but the positive thing is these players can still improve. We can still improve as a team. We will strengthen the squad in all departments.

‘The future looks bright. Next season we will have to analyse our season and also analyse what did not work for us.’