Sundowns, for once, not in the wrong over Brockie affair
Mamelodi Sundowns attract a lot of criticism and there are times when some of the critiques really sting.
But the knocks should come with the territory for a club like Sundowns — they are the league title holders, are coached by one of the best mentors on the continent, have the best players in the country and are owned by one of the richest men in SA.
So, given that they are held up to a higher standard than most, the marksman’s target constantly trained on their back for the better part of the year is to be expected.
The Sundowns machine purrs like a Rolls-Royce on the pitch and it is difficult to find fault with the well-oiled engine that irrepressible coach Pitso Mosimane has led to multiple trophies within a very short period in recent years.
BUT THE REALITY IS SUNDOWNS DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG AND THEY ARE WELL WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS
It is off the pitch where the glaring chinks in their armour are exposed and the administrators at the club’s Chloorkop headquarters are often guilty of leaving the door wide open to the critics.
Seriously, the way the club is run often leaves a lot to be desired, and it’s no exaggeration to suggest there are times when it becomes difficult to equate the immaculate product Mosimane continues to deliver on the pitch almost every week with the questionable decision-making that emanates from Chloorkop.
Some of the off-the-pitch blunders they’ve contrived to commit since the start of this season alone are inexcusable, and supremo Patrice Motsepe needs to take a long, hard look at the image some individuals at Chloorkop continue to create for his club.
But while they are certainly architects of their own bad press at times, the club should not be blamed for the negativity around them at the moment.
Sundowns were widely condemned after they stopped former player Jeremy Brockie from playing against them in a league match a few days ago. Brockie is on loan at Maritzburg United, and the New Zealander had hoped to turn out against his parent club, and perhaps also show them what they are missing, when his new side faced Sundowns at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
But it was quickly established that in terms of a loan agreement between the two clubs, Brockie was not allowed to take to the field and face his parent club. United coach Eric Tinkler confirmed that Brockie could not be picked, as specified in the deal between the clubs when he joined the KwaZulu-Natal side a few weeks ago.
The condemnation was swift and ruthless, with some cynical fans labelling Sundowns as selfish. Some questioned why Sundowns would fear facing players they did not consider good enough to play for them. Some even said the decision was a contravention of the Fifa rules.
But the reality is Sundowns did not do anything wrong and they are well within their rights to stop an on-loan player from playing against them.
The fact is, in some cases, these on-loan players are still on their payroll and surely it would be foolhardy to pay someone to score against you?
Hell, the SA soccer history books are littered with examples of on-loan players who have come back to haunt Sundowns, costing them plenty. Their decision is not unique and it is a practice that is common in many leagues around the world.
More importantly, Maritzburg agreed to the clause when they signed Brockie.
So, while they are often criticised for many things, Sundowns have not done anything wrong in this case and are well within their rights to exercise their right to stop an on-loan player from playing against them.