The story behind the scenes
Sundowns appoint translators
In order to facilitate all communications, which plays an important role in the success story of Sundowns’ South American link, the Chloorkopbased outfit have appointed a Spanish translator to ensure the coaches are able to communicate with the South American players who join the club.
The translators are with the players when they travel to training and for interviews, such as the ones they would do when they win Man of the Match awards.
Sundowns see this as a standard global norm and believe that any club that is serious about competing globally should have a translator. The club has the resources of both a Spanish and Arabic translator.
Supporting player’s relocation
Relocating to a different country is not always easy. There are cultural and language challenges, over and above the requirements needed to relocate.
And to make life easier for the players, Sundowns have people appointed to help find the players accommodation and any other necessities.
“Even our team managers get involved in that space where we make sure that we assist all the aspects. But we do that even with South African players who have to relocate from Limpopo or KZN. We give all the support we can possibly give them, regarding nutrition guidelines,
adaptation to weather, to the city and basic communication. The club looks after those things,” Mokwena explained.
The hits and misses
The bringing in of South American players at Sundowns goes back to the early years of Patrice Motsepe’s reign, when the club brought in the likes of Raphael Dudamel, Jorge Acuna, Vincente Principiano and Jose Torrealba.
But a lot has changed since then at the Brazilians, with the club taking their scouting system to a whole new level. Over the last eight years or so, they have brought in Castro, Jose Ali Meza, Ricardo Nascimento, Emiliano Tade, Mauricio Affonso, Sirino, Saavedra and Allende.
Castro, Nascimento and Sirino are, arguably, the three most successful South Americans in recent times, but not all the imports shot the lights out. Ali Meza, Affonso and Tade were not quite able to cut it at Sundowns, though there were glimpses of brilliance at times.
The jury is out on Saavedra and Allende, but early signs are promising…