Players not ready for football — Mosimane
Football under Covid-19 is a whole new ballgame‚ and to listen to Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane describe it after his first experience of it‚ almost a whole new sport.
Sundowns beat Bidvest Wits 3-2 in the late Nedbank Cup semifinal in the double header at Orlando Stadium on Saturday evening‚ after Bloemfontein Celtic brushed past 10-man Baroka FC 3-0 in the afternoon
The first two games of the return to football saw howlers aplenty‚ sluggish play‚ a complicated five-substitution system‚ and injuries at a level that will take much adaptation in how they are managed for teams not to end the month without players.
“In the game of Bloem Celtic and Baroka we saw massive injuries,” Mosimane said in his online Zoom press conference.
“In our game we also had massive injuries and ‘Tso’ [Siphelele Mkhulise] could not finish. ‘Mshishi’ [Themba Zwane]‚ who always finishes a game, could not finish.
“[Sibusiso] Vilakazi‚ who always is in good condition‚ could not finish. Rivaldo [Coetzee] was supposed to be out.
“And we were preparing Wayne Arendse and Tiyani Mabunda to come on‚ because he could not cope.
“That’s football under Covid19. Players are not ready. You could see that.
“Ja, football inside Covid-19 — we know it now. We can now comment about it. But if you haven’t played you can’t comment about it‚” he said.
“Because if you haven’t suffered a muscle injury like the one we have got with Mkhulise‚ and Rivaldo was on the bench [at the end]‚ you don’t understand.
“… Only four teams can talk about football in Covid-19. Those who haven’t played‚ they can’t comment. They must comment after.
“So it’s really difficult. And you might know the rules‚ but once you are under stress and pressure there‚ everything goes out of your mind. And that’s football under Covid-19.”