Downs take pre-season camp to Ghana

MAMELODI Sundowns are set to leave their comfort zone when they move their pre-season camp to much tougher conditions in far away Ghana.

Coming along with the team on tour will be Emmanuel Mathias, the new recruit from Nigerian side Heartlands FC, who arrived in Chloorkop on Tuesday.

Downs coach Pitso Mosimane believes spending two weeks under arduous conditions will help whip his team into perfect shape ahead of the new season.

The team began their pre-season camp in Polokwane where they spent a week, and will on Saturday fly out to Accra for a two-week high intensity camp.

The Brazilians will play three friendly matches against esteemed Ghanaian sides Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko and Ebusua Dwarfs FC.

‘‘ The Polokwane camp went well, we were able to raise the level of fitness among players in the past two week,” Mosimane said yesterday.

‘‘ Now we are going to Ghana for the third week where we will be playing friendly matches to get the combinations right. The Ghana trip will give us a clear indication as to where we are as a team ... whether we’ve built a solid team or whether we still need to improve. Remember, we’ve brought in lots of new players and we now have to put them in positions.”

Kotoko are chasing a double, and the team will be playing in the MTN final in what will be the last match for Sundowns’ new signing Rashid Sumaila in Kotoko colours.

‘‘ We have to change, Sundowns have gone five seasons without results. We can’t go the same route. We shouldn’t be afraid of change. Look at AC Milan (Italian giants). They let go of their prized assets: Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Andrea Pirlo and Gat- tuso, and they are now building. The Sundowns family has to be patient with us. We have to build a team for the next five years.”

Having spent a season in the Nigeria Premier League, Mathias is quite familiar with the conditions in West Africa.

At 27, Mathias is already a well-travelled and experienced defender, having also played for Israeli side Hapoel Petah Tikva and renowned Tunisian side Esperance.

At Sundowns, Mathias will team up with compatriot Dove Wome, who joined from Free State Stars recently.