SALTER’S AGONY… Look who’s reading your Soccer Laduma

Patrick Mayo - Former SuperSport United defender.

Soccer Laduma is the gift that keeps on giving. Calvin Motloung’s story is sad yet an eye-opener for all and sundry, not only current players. To hear about how some teams lack the professionalism that any team must exhibit is sad indeed. However, despite the hardships he went through, the guy never lost hope and slowly but surely he will live a stable life. Like I once indicated in this paper, a holistic educational approach is needed to ensure we address this pervasive culture of players whose lives are at the mercy of others post-retirement. What I like about people like Motloung is the honesty they display and I wish the powers that be in the system are also reading this lovely paper for the people. Lastly, one wonders why some teams never grow in the PSL and always become victims of relegation. In this instance, I am talking about Black Leopards. I’ve heard nasty stories before and if Motloung’s assertion is anything to go by, then people must make up their minds. I rest my case. Thapelo Masiapata, Ramaroka village, Bolobedu

TONE IT DOWN, MDOKIS

Alongside the comments of Morongwa Zwee Mokgohloa (MAKE YOUR POINT, edition 1208), I also want to add my disgust at Doctor Khumalo’s singing his own praises. He speaks as if he single-handedly won the Afcon. I’ve also heard him talk about his personal contribution to the team and how Jomo Sono came into the dressing room and spoke to him alone, blah, blah, blah. Fact is had it not been for Clive Barker’s favouritism (which has been widely discussed), any other coach would not have wasted their time with him. As for him referring to himself as the ‘darling of South African football’ in last week’s issue, had it not been for the leadership at the back in that Afcon squad, Eric Tinkler in midfield and Shoes Moshoeu’s goals, South Africa would not have won that cup. Tinkler and Shoes were outstanding. I am sure Khumalo will remember Shoes, the guy that scored the winning goal in the quarterfinal after Khumalo missed a penalty. Mr Khumalo, allow us, the fans, to sing your praises and not you. You come across as being very insecure. I have also seen a clip of yours where you talked about how your defensive teammates would jump when they thought you were crossing the ball at training. That is embarrassing to your teammates when you go public with such. I know Charles Motlohi meant what he said in Soccer Laduma but had to retract because of public pressure. Take it down a notch, Doctor, you really weren’t that good. You played in USA, where real players go to retire. It’s a disgrace to see someone so old yet so self-absorbed. Raymond van Niekerk, Durban

CHIEFS BACK ON TRACK!

I can only start by loudly singing The Storm is Over track. We ended our winless streak by recording our very first win against our hoodoo team Royal AM. This was definitely sweet revenge and that troublesome monkey is finally off our back. It was long overdue that the KwinikaDove central pairing be dismantled, and thankfully Ngezana came to the party. Debutant Saile ensured we get the much-needed three points when he created Du Preez’s goal. Lastly, congrats also to TS Galaxy and Chippa for ending their winless runs. The Rockets are next in our firing line, but just like Royal AM, they are always troubling us. It is time for revenge. Amos “Tiger” Tshukudu, Ga-Maria

Congratulations to Amakhosi for the win against our hoodoo team Royal AM. They were prepared to die with their boots on. Our new striker is promising, he has speed and skills. Come next season, he will score more goals. Amakhosi ajabulile once again. Nghamula RikhotsoNkon’wana, Mageva village

Thank you, Kaizer Chiefs, for breaking that hoodoo by beating Royal AM. We’ve been waiting for this win against them as they always beat us. I hope this is the taste of good things to come. Shapa Khosi shapa! Nyambeni Samson Khuphani, Tshiawelo Ext 5

Congratulations to Amakhosi for finally defeating their hoodoo team Royal AM. After three successive defeats, it was now or never for Zwane. Thanks again to the supporters who braced rainy weather to support the team. Again, welcome, Saile, to the Village. At least this time around Chiefs converted their chances. What a sweet revenge. Rise Khosi rise. But again, to play 12 minutes without replacing an injured player, Solomons, while we have players on the bench is suicidal for Zwane. Please, coach, learn to make substitutions on time. At least Du Preez finally scored. I hope he’ll gain confidence going forward. Boitumelo van Rooyen, Schweizer-Reneke

Finally, Chiefs registered their first win of 2023 and got the Royal AM monkey off their back. Zwane showed bravery in dropping his trusted soldiers Kwinika, Khune, “Mshini” and the young Zwane. The move proved to be the correct one as their replacements performed very well. Chiefs showed their intentions and hunger from the first whistle and deserved the maximum points. The dropped players should take it as a wake-up call and fight to regain their positions, which will in turn be good for the team. It was also interesting to see the technical team leaving Du Preez on the pitch until he got his name on the scoresheet. They showed their belief in him and

that will go a long way in helping the lad get his confidence back. Let me conclude by welcoming our new striker Saile to the Amakhosi family. Malesela“Dance”Boya, Kanana, Hammanskraal

The Pretoria train is moving at a faster speed. Who’s going to stop them? The gap won’t be closed by any team, mark my words. As for Chiefs, great game against Royal AM. So impressed with the performances of Peterson, Ngezana, Maart, Hlanti, Solomons, Shabalala, Du Preez, Saile and Sithebe. Hlanti and Ngezana were everywhere at the back, thwarting the opposition’s efforts. This was the Amakhosi I’ve known since the ’90s. On a less positive note, Caleb was not on fire and it was good that Zwane substituted him. Saile made a lot of runs and as a result managed to assist for Du Preez’s goal. Isaac Tsenene, via email

‘CONTROVERSIAL’ DOWNS KEEP WINNING

As a soccer lover and Bafana Bafana supporter, this debate must not be seen in a PSL context but with the national team in mind. I was surprised when SAFA issued a statement saying Bafana must qualify for Afcon 2023 and Hugo Broos must not make any excuses. My question is with which players? In the past, we always had seven to eight foreign-based players in the starting XI, but nowadays it’s only one or two, thanks to Sundowns. Small clubs used to sell their best players to Europe and these clubs raised money for the day-to-day running of their clubs. Sundowns offer them more than they can get from European clubs. However, when these players used to be sold to Europe, the national team benefitted because they improved their physicality, tactical awareness and got international exposure. Examples are players like Parker, Masilela, Sibaya, Lekgetho etc. Bafana were among the best on the continent and even competed with European opposition during World Cup games because the entire squad was playing in Europe – e.g. Vonk, Arendse, Radebe, Fish, Ngobe, Tinkler, Masinga, Mkhalele, McCarthy, Booth, Zuma etc. But today, Broos’ team, or the core, is in the stands at Sundowns – i.e. Zungu, Mashego, Kutumela, Motupa, Lesedi etc. The Bafana captain is at Sundowns, playing in the PSL for big money but no exposure. How will Broos beat Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, who have their entire squads playing in Europe? SAFA, wake up and smell the coffee. If you don’t impose Fair Play rules in the PSL, you’ll keep sacking national team coaches. Others are saying coaches at Sundowns are doing a good job, but we all know that two of them never won a trophy in their coaching careers. Komphela spent three seasons at Chiefs but won nothing, Rhulani was at Pirates and sent on loan at Chippa, but he won nothing. So, it’s the quality of the squad that’s winning them trophies. I’m appealing to SAFA to urgently hold a soccer Indaba with stakeholders, PSL club owners, SAFA branches, player agents and the Department of Sports and Recreation to rescue the national team, otherwise SAFA must hire an undertaker to give Bafana a decent burial.

Mr M. Sepolo, Johannesburg

Congratulations to Mamelodi Sundowns, they are out of this world! Needless to say, they’re still going to dominate our domestic league for the longest time. They are walking alone, without competition.

Moses Mokoena, Ga-Mokwakwaila

Much has been inked and uttered regarding Sundowns buying players just to weaken opposition teams, with yesteryear footballers such as Jabu Mahlangu calling for Financial Fair Play. Now, the question is, don’t they know that ambitious teams such as Wydad, TP Mazembe, Al Ahly and Esperance are strengthening their teams to compete continentally? When he took over the ownership of this team, one of Patrice Motsepe’s wishes was to conquer the continent and to achieve this you have to buy quality players. You can’t go play Wydad with players like Kwinika, to be honest. Mahlangu himself failed to help the national team by choosing to drink beers and retire at an early age. It’s only fair that he learns to mind his business and stop being biased in his analysis. Tente “The Brains” Mokoka, Sepharane

Clearly, the evolution of the Beautiful Game has passed Jeremiah Mahlangu unawares. His outbursts are misguided, for the fact that what Sundowns is practising is done the world over. Check PSG, Manchester City, Zamalek, TP Mazembe and many others – they buy quality to get quantity results. If you can make a head count of the players that now constitute Sundowns, most are former development players of PSL teams that were deemed surplus. The high standard of performance at Sundowns is what some crave for their next level. The Bafana Bafana problem is the relationship between coach Hugo Broos and PSL coaches. Fix that and live happily ever after, period!

Kabila ka Makoxa, Giyani

What happened to freedom of expression in South African football, or in every sphere of life in this country? Every Tom, Dick and Harry has an opinion on what was said by Jabu Mahlangu, who, like everyone else, has an opinion about the state and standard of our football. Seems everyone wants to roast Jabu alive for his comments. The question is: isn’t there some element of truth to what he said, never mind how small it may be? The truth is there’s so much talent sitting in the stands at Sundowns. However, I don’t blame them for the poor performance of our national team because Bafana Bafana haven’t been convincing for years, even with the talented Downs players in the squad. The problem is that people who are anti-Jabu think he’s jealous of Sundowns’ success – nay. Let their success be theirs to celebrate. Mompati Panyaza Ndlovu, Lekubu village, Zeerust

To the best of my recollection Chiefs, Pirates and Swallows have historically attracted top-quality players and these teams’ legends can attest to this fact. In the past seven or eight seasons, Chiefs and Pirates opted to abandon their top talent identification philosophy and settle for below-average players to play for their teams. So, is it not disingenuous of people like Floyd Shivambu and Jabu Mahlangu to blame Sundowns for the consistent application of their philosophy, which dates back to the Zola Mahobe era, to attract topquality players to our team? Thabo Mabetoa, Pretoria

What more can you say about the Brazilians? What Rhulani is doing now is being ruthless. The balance between offensive and defensive has completely changed. He’s brought something different to the team, and obviously they’re going to win their sixth league crown. On the other hand, Sir Jingles is on the rise in Saudi Arabia. The man keeps on winning and now he’s on top of the log. “He is successful because of Sundowns’ money”, or “Al Ahly has more financial power”, blah, blah, blah. So, he took that personally and now he’s doing wonders and proving his ‘haters’ wrong, which we all know from which team they are. Now they are eating humble pie. Son of the soil, Sir Jingles! Tau Tona Molebatsi, Dobsonville Ext 3

Over the past couple of years, the debate about Sundowns “hogging talent with a view to weakening other clubs” has been a raging one, amplified by Jabu Mahlangu a week ago, ostensibly triggered by the Chiefs loss and the gap that Sundowns has opened at the apex of the Premiership. First of all, I can boldly debunk the myth that Sundowns buy players for the mere objective of weakening other clubs. I’m saying this because even as most people think that the Motsepes are the richest club owners, I know that they are very strict with their money and would never allow such a scheme to operate. Secondly, I’ve been to Chloorkop and have witnessed the hunger that every single player displays to the coaches, literally giving their all to say to the coaches, “I’m not here to add numbers, I wanna play.” I’ve run workshops at the club and have had deep conversations with the players, coaches and managers. As a football administrator, it was easy for me to identify the winning formula that’s not just based on employing good coaches but on the inculcation of an organizational culture which creates no room for failure. One could write a thesis, and even produce a textbook, on the management strategy at the club, which makes it so successful. What other clubs need to do, instead of being cry-babies about the player signing philosophy at Sundowns, is to ask Sundowns to share their strategies with the rest. Each club will still retain its unique approach to things, but the spine of how things are done at Sundowns forms the basis of what every serious football club should be doing, so that only the added flesh (unique ideas) provides competitiveness. Criticism and complaints will never win you games. The very concept of Financial Fair Play has nothing to do with which, or how many, players a club can sign. Mlamli Saula Mzondi, kwaNondabula

I have been reading and listening to comments about Sundowns using money to weaken other teams by buying players and keeping them on the bench and also not allowing loaned players to play against them. We need to face certain facts. We also know that money motivates everyone. Players agree to join Sundowns because they will be getting good wages there. Some don’t actually mind going there even though they know too well they won’t feature in each and every game as long as the salary will be worthwhile. Second thing is there are obviously terms and conditions as far as loaning players is concerned. Teams are given a chance to fully pay Sundowns players the same salaries that they are getting at Chloorkop but fail to do so, and that is where then the clause of “don’t play against us” applies. The solution is simple. Teams must stop loaning players from Sundowns and as long as players are kept on

the bench, eventually the contracts will run down and we all know how quickly a player can end up being clubless or playing for a much lower salary elsewhere. Morongwa Zwee Mokgohloa, Ga-Mokgohloa

There is ongoing talk that Sundowns kill South African soccer and weaken Bafana Bafana. Before President Motsepe bought the team, Chiefs and Pirates were dominating the market buying all the quality players. Now that they can’t compete with Sundowns, it’s wrong. All teams with financial muscle worldwide buy quality players, but you will never hear opposition teams lambasting them that they kill the game. Instead, they encourage the management at those teams to compete and buy quality players. I wish soccer fanatics here in South Africa can do the same. Tshake Modiko, via e-mail

Sundowns are smashing any team in front of them and breaking records. Let’s give them their flowers while they can still smell them. The passion, enthusiasm and dedication that coach Rhulani has for football, most supporters are mistaking it for ego. By the way, I am all for sons of the soil, especially the young ones. In conclusion, Amakhosi got much-needed three points and may they continue in this manner. Our new forward man is promising. Siyabonga Nkalambela, Delft

Quick One-Two’s

Mr Editor, I’m sending this email to make the PSL leadership aware about the madness we experience as supporters at Royal Bafokeng Stadium when it comes to parking. Around the stadium, there are places demarcated for parking, and those demarcations look safe and health-friendly. Unfortunately, those are reserved for minority VIP ticket holders. These holders might be pumping money into the sport, but loyal supporters, who go all out to bring a vibrant mood at the stadiums, are not taken seriously. 1). General parking at Royal Bafokeng is a mess. It was dusty and I wonder how many supporters were affected by dust after the game. I’m one of them. 2). The parking area has no lights for safety. I wonder how many people got mugged at the parking area. 3). The parking area has only one entrance, which is a recipe for disaster, and the very same parking area is not visible except the special ones reserved for VIPs. 4). Traffic officers around the stadium were nothing but spectators. They could not even direct supporters to the right parking area. The PSL underestimated the game between Gallants and Pirates. They should have rated it as a Category A game so that security could be beefed up. After the game, how many supporters ran onto the pitch and hugged players? Where were the securities and police officers at that venue? You can’t take a drunk person and make him/her part of the security personnel at the stadium. The PSL should take supporters seriously just like they are doing to the VIPs. Maybe as supporters we should stop going to the games and let the VIPs enjoy their special treatment and see if they can bring the vibe to the stadiums like us undermined and unappreciated supporters.

Fantastic win by Pirates against Gallants. Judging by their start to the game, it was a matter of time before they scored. It was not surprising when Dzvukamanja used his body well and nicely laid the ball to Saleng. In the second half, Gallants came out guns blazing and it nearly paid off. Pirates lost shape and possession so easily. I’m worried about Saleng’s sense of urgency and not sharing the ball with his teammates sometimes. If he can lift his head up, he can have many assists and his teammates can benefit from that. He needs to be a team player and share the ball with his teammates and not think for himself. The win was a great birthday present for the chairman and we wish him many more years to come and to continue leading the mighty Pirates. Let the team keep the winning momentum, maybe they can catch the unstoppable Sundowns. Madimetja Vic Mashamaite, Renstown

The resilient Richards Bay FC reminds me of the season when Leipzig burst onto the scene in the that Farmers Bundesliga and came second the following season, never to fight relegation. Take Bayern Munich out of the picture, then you have a team coming from the second tier winning the league title in their first season. Richards Bay have done well for themselves quietly and without any pressure. They must know that next season is only going to be more difficult and different and must not rest on their laurels. Already they’ve survived relegation and can already plan for next season.

As for my team Chiefs, it was about time we ended that unwanted Royal AM bad record. Sundowns did the same to us. Saile looks so promising and I hope he’s not going to be wasted playing on the wing far away from the kitchen, where we need him the most. Oh, by the way, Pirates have won three games in a row while we also lost three in a row. Strangely, they are one point ahead of us. Only they know what they’ve been doing all along.

Lucky, Meriting

Can anyone tell us what Da Gama is doing currently? One is concerned about his lengthy absence from the PSL. The topflight is not as spicy as it was without such seasoned coaches as him and Larsen. I’m a great admirer of Da Gama’s playing philosophy. The teams he coaches play entertaining and associative football. He may not be as adventurous as Mosimane or as tactical as Hunt, but he orchestrates a very enjoyable type of football that even a kindergarten kid would love to watch. Equally, it is disappointing to see a coach of Larsen’s calibre wallowing in the shallow waters of the second-tier ranks. He’s supposed to be enriching the elite league with his vast experience and knowledge. Larsen is a good coach who knows how to control the dressing room with his modest demeanour. He is similar to Ancelotti, he of quiet leadership. Batsirai Kativu, Johannesburg

I think Europe is ahead of us. They know what they want for their teams, are professional, can handle the pressure and supporters keep supporting their teams under any circumstances. This is what I’ve witnessed in coach Arteta at Arsenal. He started very badly and almost lost his job, but through management’s support, he survived the axe. Look what perseverance has done for Arsenal. I’m happy for him. This also gives hope to our own in coach Rhulani. I wish coach Arteta all the best this season. Terah Maqepula, Mount Fletcher

Happy, happy, happy 90th birthday, Sir Maviyo Ngcobo. He is the first teacher to be detained during the Soweto Students Uprising of 16 June 1976, then the deputy principal at Emthonjeni Higher Primary, the first school to boycott Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in Orlando. The school’s principal was Mr Washington “DC” Mposula, affectionately known as Bra Styles, who doubled up as Chairman of the Mighty Orlando Pirates. Mr Ngcobo was Bucs’ deputy secretary. Bra Mandla “Shakes” Tshabalala was the secretary. Thank you for introducing one to the works of Prof B.W Vilakazi – e.g. the poem Mangificwa Ukufa. You once described Eric Bamuza “Scara” Sono’s extraordinary physical strength, exquisite ball control, uncanny sense of anticipation, legendary work ethic that made him the consummate township football artist. You were mentored by the likes Mr Grant Kgomo, teacher at the iconic Orlando High School and the first Black person to captain the Springboks, Mr Lawrence Makubalo, Mr Augustine “ABC” Motsepe. Enjoy your day, Meneer! #UpTheBucs. Vuka Tshabalala, CEO: James Mpanza Legacy Foundation Trust