Title never in doubt – Pitso
Mamelodi Sundowns’ Absa Premiership win confirms Mosimane as SA’s current top football manager
ECSTATIC coach Pitso Mosimane never doubted Mamelodi Sundowns would wrap up the Absa Premiership title even though it may have morphed into an awkward victory. Sundowns went to a record eighth PSL title – their closest challengers are Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates with four apiece – by efficiently dispatching desperate‚ second-last Ajax Cape Town 3-1 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday.
Mosimane notched up his third league title‚ all at Downs‚ to add to his two cups at the Brazilians and two more at SuperSport United‚ confirming himself South Africa’s premier football manager at present.
Sundowns regained the 2015-16 title they conceded to Bidvest Wits last season. Downs had set a mammoth record of 71 points that season.
This season they clinched the title with 59 points – an unassailable seven over second-placed Orlando Pirates (52) – and can go to a maximum 62 if they beat Bloemfontein Celtic in their final game on May 12.
Mosimane said the low points total was an indication of a tightly-contested league.
He paid tribute to his players for winning the PSL when they competed in both the end of the 2017‚ and beginning of the 2018‚ Caf Champions League tournaments inside the domestic season.
“It was a bit difficult. I think it was the most awkward season for everybody‚ to be honest. Hence the number of points accumulated‚” Downs’ former Bafana Bafana coach said.
“It hasn’t been easy. But to be honest the league has never been under threat. We’ve been there for all the time‚ and we are there up until now.
“Of course it didn’t come easy. I mean‚ for the players to be playing Champions League‚ trying to win the Nedbank Cup up to the semifinals‚ playing every three days‚ no complaining.
“And when you win the league under those conditions‚ where you have two Champions Leagues overlapping with one PSL‚ you really feel that the boys have given you their best.
“And you must thank them‚ and thank their families for giving them that. Because we are almost in the hotel five days out of seven days.
“You must thank the management‚ you must thank the board. You’ve got to thank the president of the team [Patrice Motsepe] for supporting us all the time.
“Without him we would not be able to keep going for five years.
“We need to thank all the supporters who have continued singing at the top of their voices. When we lose they sing.
“We drew against Maritzburg [United]‚ they sang; we lost against Maritzburg‚ they still sang. That’s the spirit that we want.
“We have to thank the sponsors. We have to thank everybody‚ including you guys [the media].”
Sundowns‚ the 2016 Champions League winners‚ went out in the quarterfinal stage of last year’s competition to eventual winners Wydad Casablanca.
They are through to the group stages of this year’s competition.
Mosimane shrugged off any personal relief that his team not only wrapped up the Absa Premiership, but that Pirates’ defeat also meant Downs do not have to worry over boardroom decisions on the Tendai Ndoro matter.
Pirates lost 1-0 against Cape Town City at the Cape Town Stadium.
Even the eligibility issue over Ajax striker Ndoro at a Safa arbitration‚ one of the permutations of which was that Pirates might be awarded three points‚ can no longer have an impact on the title race.
Had Pirates won‚ Sundowns would have gone into their final match against Bloemfontein Celtic wanting to win‚ even with the title concluded‚ to guarantee no influence from the outcome of the Ndoro case.
“But for us‚ even if it was not settled‚ our league was today. So to win was to win‚” Mosimane said.
“If we win the league‚ we will win the league on the pitch. And I’ve always said that – the league is won on the pitch.
“And whatever comes out is out of our hands‚ is out of our control‚ and you don’t want to talk much about that. Because do you have control? You don’t have control.
“And we played a very good team‚ in Ajax. They tried. It’s very difficult to see that this team can go to the playoffs. I’m not sure‚ with the last game – we’ll see.
“They had enough speed up front to give us problems.”
Second-last Ajax remain threatened by the Ndoro issue.
They remained in 15th place‚ needing a win from their last game against Kaizer Chiefs at the Cape Town Stadium‚ and also other results to go their way‚ to escape the promotion-relegation playoff place.
But Ajax (31 points) still face the prospect of having points deducted depending on the Ndoro arbitration outcome‚ which might even see them fall below already outright-relegated Platinum Stars (21 points).
Ndoro’s eligibility case is over a Fifa ruling that players may not turn out for more than two clubs in a season.
The Zimbabwean has played for Pirates‚ Al Faisaly in Saudi Arabia‚ and seven games for Ajax in 2017-18. – TimesLIVE