Pitso admits his Brockie dilemma
MOSIMANE: WE HAVEN’T GIVEN HIM A CHANCE TO PLAY
Coach will stick with tried, trusted against Wydad.
Pitso Mosimane has admitted he hasn’t really given Jeremy Brockie enough game time to show off his striking prowess, as the New Zealand striker continues to search for his first goal in a Masandawana shirt.
It remains to be seen if Brockie gets a chance this evening as Sundowns open their Caf Champions League group stage campaign against Wydad Casablanca, with Mosimane hinting he will go with the same players who have served him so well en route to this season’s Absa Premiership title.
Brockie has made just two league starts for Sundowns, since joining in the January transfer window, though he did also start two of their Nedbank Cup matches. There have been six substitute appearances as well for the 30-year-old, with a total of 353 minutes played without a single net-bulger.
“With Brockie, one thing I say to myself is how many starting line-ups have we given him?” said Mosimane.
“And have we left him in for 70-80 minutes? But, do I have the time to leave you on for 80 minutes at Sundowns (without a goal)? In 60 minutes at least he must miss once or twice, then we can say it (the goal) is coming.
“(But) we haven’t really given him the chance to play. Hopefully with the break coming … I told him to go and rest, we didn’t sign you for six months, we signed you for three years. But when you come back you must have rested enough.”
Brockie did have a hectic schedule at SuperSport United before joining Sundowns, helping Matsatsantsa to reach last year’s Caf Confederation Cup final.
“There are (also) a lot of people (at Sundowns) that can play in the same position … and have the ability to score. And I don’t change the team a lot … that doesn’t give guys an easy chance … even on Saturday I am not going to change it,” said Mosimane.
“Of the players I signed in December, no one is playing, only (Gaston) Sirino. Brockie is not making it, Aubrey (Ngoma) is not. I never changed the team, I stayed loyal because we were top when I brought these guys in. Themba Zwane, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Khama (Billiat), Thapelo (Morena), Percy Tau, those are the guys that have been helping us.
“That is probably the turning point that helped us win the league. I never said the new ones are coming, and that they must move over!” he added.