Sundowns’ cup runneth over

Mamelodi Sundowns’ foreign contingent has risen to 10 in recent days and coach Pitso Mosimane will have to ditch five of them before the new season gets under way.

The confirmation that Ivorian striker Yannick Zakri will return to Mamelodi Sundowns next season, along with the acquisitions of Jose Ali Meza and Toni Silva last week, means the PSL champions now have way too many foreigners on their books. Sundowns currently have 10 players that comprise their foreign quota, but can select only half of them for the new season.

The rest will either be released, loaned out or sit idle on the sidelines, hoping they can be registered in January if others are injured, leave the club or have a dramatic loss of form.

New signings Meza and Silva, from Venezuela and Guinea-Bissau respectively, are certainties for two spots, as are one would think, Uruguayan forward Gaston Sirino and New Zealand striker Jeremy Brockie.

There have been reports that Brockie is seeking permanent residency in South Africa, which could alleviate the problem to some extent, although he is likely to have to travel a complex path similar to the one followed by Dutch defender Alje Schut in the 2012-13 season.

Schut used a loophole to get immediate permanent residency on a visa set aside for wealthy individuals who have a specified amount of assets to their name.

It’s a special category that, according to Home Affairs legislation, may be issued to a foreigner who has a minimum net worth of R7,5 million and pays a fee of R75,000.

Assuming Brockie is, as things stand, counted as a foreigner, that leaves a single spot for Brazilian defender Ricardo Nascimento, Ivorian centre-back Bangaly Soumahoro, Algerian full-back Fares Hachi, Mozambique forward Luis Miquissone and Zakri.

There were reports over the weekend that Hachi would be released, though the club has yet to confirm, while Zakri is clearly surplus to requirements as well with so many new forwards at the club.

Miquissone was a star at the recent COSAFA Cup in Polokwane, scoring four goals in three matches, but is up against Meza, Sirino, Brockie and Silva and looks the worst of them.

That leaves a shoot-out between Nascimento and Soumahoro and in terms of their ability on the pitch there should be only one winner there.

Soumahoro has power and strength, but makes too many errors, while Nascimento is a classy ballplaying centre-back who may lack pace, but has excellent game-awareness.