Where there’s smoke, there’s fire

Tshepang Mailwane: Ricardo, you’ve been with SuperSport United for over half-a-season now. Just talk to us about how the journey’s been so far…

Ricardo Goss: It’s b een good actually, getting back to playing and feeling important again. Not to say that I was not important at (Mamfeels elodi) Sundowns, but it good to be part of the team that plays on the day. When you say that you’ve won a game, you know that you’ve contributed something.

TM: What does feeling look like to you?

RG:

‘important’

Just playing and being part of the starting XI. You feel like you are needed. When it’s like that, you want to be training every single day because you know that you need to work and be playing, helping the team and contributing to the team winning on the day. You just feel confident every day, you wake up with a smile on your face, you know. Life seems to be good when you are playing. That’s the best way to put it.

TM: Seems you were more than happy to make the jump.

RG:

Yes, I was happy because I knew that I would have a chance to fight (for a place) with other goalkeepers. Not to take anything away from them. At Sundowns, it was pretty much clear who the number one was and who they preferred over the years, so it was not going to be easy to just walk into Sundowns and play, especially when you have the first choice at his prime, you know. It really was a tough ask (to get into the team), to be honest.

TM: But why did you make the move to Chloorkop, especially with Denis Onyango as the number one for quite some time when you arrived?

RG:

At the time, I needed to secure myself a team because there was not a lot of teams that showed an interest and Sundowns came across as a team that was most interested in me. I knew that Sundowns was a team that wants to win almost every single competition, so I just thought why not? You never know what could happen. If I had gone there and worked hard and then things had fallen into place for me, I could have been the next number one for Sundowns, but it was not to be, I guess.

TM: What went through your mind when there was talk in the media that Ronwen Williams would be joining?

RG:

You start asking yourself a lot of questions, whether you are going to play or if you are even going to get a chance to be on the bench. It’s those types of things. But you also know that the competition is also going to be stiff and it’s going to need a level head and need you to work even harder than before. So, you just sort of want to challenge yourself. You don’t want it easy. I don’t think there is a player that wants an easy career. You want to be challenged and pushed to your limits, you know.

TM: At the time, was it communicated with you clearly by Downs that you would possibly be loaned out?

RG:

I hope I don’t sound too blunt. At the time, I didn’t really know that this is what was happening behind closed doors. I just heard over the news and when it finally happened, I would not say I was surprised because where there is smoke, there is fire, ha, ha, ha.

TM: But how did you feel about the loan move?

RG:

At the time, I did not know what I wanted. Do I stay? Do I go? If I stay, what happens? I did not know about my place in the team. I wouldn’t say at the time if it’s what I wanted or didn’t want, but now I can surely say that it’s probably the best move that I made.

TM: Why do you say that? RG:

Because I’m back to playing and I want to be in the national team. In order for me to be in the national team, I need to be playing. Now I’m back playing and I’m feeling confident again. I’m proving that I need to be amongst those in the national team, and that’s always been my dream and goal.

TM: But why a two-season loan deal with Matsatsantsa? Why didn’t the Brazilians just release you permanently?

RG:

I think the request from SuperSport was (for the move to be) permanent, but Sundowns, I think, did not agree with that because maybe they might need me in the future. That’s what I think.

TM: Are you happy with that arrangement?

RG:

I was kind of, like, numb to everything at the time. I’d say right now I am happy about it because I actually get to play and look at the position we are in on the log. I get to push myself and to try to get myself as close as possible to the dream of the national team.

TM: Do you see a future for yourself with Sundowns though?

RG:

Ha, ha, ha, eish, I don’t know. Let me just leave it there. Let’s see what the future has in store for me.

TM: Were there any discussions you had with the coaches at Chloorkop before you left?

RG:

There wasn’t (any discussions). That’s why I say I was not even sure if the news on social media was true. No one actually told me about it. I was only told on the day I was in Durban that I need to come up to Jo’burg and this is what’s happening. That’s why I say it was a surprise, but it was not really a surprise because where there is smoke, there is fire. I kind of knew that it could be true and when it actually happened, I was like, “Oh, it’s really happening.” It’s one of those things you are aware of but not aware of them.

TM: What were your two seasons at the Tshwane giants like, before going out on loan?

RG: The first season, for me, was a promising one and I thought I would be playing the next season or I was getting closer to playing. When the second season came, I was like, “Eish, what do I do? Have I done something wrong or am I not working hard?” But it just shows you the quality of players they have. Anybody can be replaced easily. But the first season I found joy and I got to play in the (CAF) Champions League. It was a first for me and I was really happy about that. The second season was a disappointment for me, but there was a time when the team had about 12 clean sheets in

Prior to the beginning of the current season, uncertainty ruled the roost in the case of Ricardo Goss. Mamelodi Sundowns were heavily linked with Ronwen Williams, whose services they eventually finally landed, leaving the 28-year-old in no-man’s land really. If his chances were slim the campaign before, they were now slimmer. However, as they say, a stitch in time saves nine, and a two-season loan move to SuperSport United was the ticket to game-time he so badly needed, and voila, he’s been one of the key players for coach Gavin Hunt’s side. Goss tells Soccer Laduma’s Tshepang Mailwane that his next goal is to catch the eye of Bafana Bafana gaffer Hugo Broos. In this interview, the former Bidvest Wits goalkeeper also talks about the mental state he’s been in at Downs, being prohibited from playing against his parent-club, and more… a row, so there is nothing you can do about that. You can see what it does and try to learn as much as possible from it.

TM: Must be hard as a player when you’re out of the picture.

RG:

Playing (regularly) is every player’s dream and you want to be confident and happy. The minute you stop playing, it’s like your whole world turns upside down. You are now fighting with yourself and there are days when you think, “S**t, what am I doing here?” You are going to have those days, if we are being honest. That’s where you get to see how strong you are mentally. Can you come to training every day and still be professional and give it your best shot all the time while you are not playing? It’s one of those things where it depends on you mentally, how tough you are, because there is really no best way of dealing with it. When you play football, you want to be on that pitch. When that is taken away, you are kind of, like, all over the place, but that teaches you something.

TM: What do you make of the agreement that prohibits you from playing against Sundowns while on loan?

RG:

Eish, honestly, I don’t want to comment on that agreement. But I’ll say it’s what Sundowns feels is right. That’s all I can say.

TM: Fair enough. What are your thoughts on the recent debate that has seen some coaches and legends saying that the Brazilians are dominating local football because of money?

RG: They really do work hard (at Sundowns), from the coaches to the analysts and so on. I remember there was one coach who had to go to the hospital to get a drip because he was not resting enough. Yes, the money is a factor and we can’t run away from that, but the hard work really goes a long way for them. People don’t know that at Sundowns every player has corrections. You are always encouraged to watch your previous game and see the wrongs and rights. People don’t know that. I think they have taken this football industry to another level and hopefully some teams are watching and learning from them.

“There was one coach who had to go to the hospital to get a drip.”

TM: Coming into the new year, it seemed as though your current club would make the title race interesting because you were not too far off from the log leaders in terms of points. What changed?

RG:

I think when we played them in January, our momentum was already killed at that stage because most of our players were not there. Bradley Grobler was not there, Grant (Margeman) was not there, I was not there, Tyson (Thulani Hlatshwayo) was not there, (Thatayaone) Ditlhokwe was not there. Some of our normal starters were not there and it kind of killed our momentum. Not to say that the other players who were called upon are not good enough, but I just felt that if you take five out of the starting regulars, it kind of destabilizes the team and the rhythm as well, and now you are just trying to play catch-up.

TM: Ricardo, good luck for the rest of the season.

RG: Thank you.

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