A much better and stronger Downs ‘will come back soon’
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS coach Pitso Mosimane sent out a chilling message to his rivals… the best is yet to come from the Brazilians even though they lead the PSL title race with 13 matches to go.
Sundowns squandered an opportunity to increase their lead at the summit of the standings by losing 3-1 to Orlando Pirates at Loftus on Saturday. But the Brazilians’ four-point lead was cut down by just a point with Cape Town City losing 1-0 at Free State Stars on the same day, Ea Lla Koto jumping up into second place. Sundowns have started 2018 at a pedestrian pace by collecting just three points out of nine.
“Our team is growing,” Mosimane said. “I think that our team is playing much better than we did when we won the league with 71 points (in the 2015-16 season). Unfortunately we are six points behind from our budget. We have to dig deeper (to catch up on our own targets). But so far so good… We’ll get there. We have a lot of injuries.
“In four weeks’ time we will be a better team with (Soumahoro) Bangaly, Aubrey Ngoma and others coming back from their injuries along with the other two acquisitions that are guaranteed. They’re here already. We’ll be stronger. We are just a little bit shaky due to the injuries. Khama (Billiat) isn’t here, he has a problem with his patella. A different team, a much better and stronger team will come back soon to compete in the Caf Champions League (and the league). But the team we currently have is good enough to win the league. It’s just that it’s not consistent. But who is consistent? Tell me one team that’s consistent, that can raise their hand and say that we are consistent and we are winning. Which one? None. We are all in the same whirlpool.”
Mosimane will finalise his Champions League squad today on the last day of player registration. The Brazilians will only start their continental campaign in March. Sundowns will face either Rayon Sports of Rwanda or Lydia Ludic Burundi Academic with a place in the group stage up for grabs.
Jingles’ workload has been decreased with the arrival of Swedish coach Erik Hamren as head of technical. Mosimane is unfazed by his appointment, arguing he can’t do everything by himself and dismissed speculation that Hamren was brought in to replace him as it’s become the norm with technical directors in South Africa.