Pitso out to rebuild his and Sundowns’ reputation
WITH the debacle in Nelspruit and the fallout of burning criticism that followed a blurred nightmare in the past, Pitso Mosimane is throwing himself into his task of rebuilding Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mosimane guided Downs from last place to ninth last season. He believes 13 signings and a restructuring of a cumbersome back-room staff can restore the Brazilians’ glory after five trophyless years.
It has been 22 months since Bafana Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone, where Mosimane and his Safa support structures misread the rules, ultimately costing him his job.
“There were one-and-a-half years where it was tough. But I don’t have regrets. It’s built my character,” Mosimane said ahead of Downs’ departure yesterday for a pre-season tour of Ghana. “I thank [Downs owner] Patrice Motsepe for the opportunity to coach one of the big three. I’ve always wanted to. I feel I have the experience.”
Mosimane dismisses the perception that Sundowns are splashing from Motsepe’s wallet while there are more than 50 players idling round the Chloorkop headquarters.
“People are counting players we have on loan and from our Vodacom reserve side, Als Puk Tawana. I am taking 26 players to Ghana. For the final squad, we’ll have just over 30.
I believe there’s pressure on Teko Modise. This season, I don’t want him too much on the ball
“And we’re signing the young and hungry. Bongani Zungu, who’s 20, from Tuks, Sibusiso Khumalo, 20, and who never made the starting line-up at Swallows. And we never paid for them. We’re swapping.”
Mosimane said there has been a breeze of change through Chloorkop’s notoriously burdensome administration. “Trott [Moloto] is head of scouting, having been head of technical. Mike Ntombela is head of technical. [General manager] Kenneth Makhanya went to the Motsepe foundation.”
On-field, Teko Modise won’t wear the captain’s armband. “I had a one on one with Teko. I believe there’s pressure on him. This season, I don’t want him too much on the ball. Last year Downs would lose, but Teko was man of the match.
“I gave the example of Michael Jordan, when Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson told him: ‘There are games we lose but you score 45 points’. Jackson told him he has to give the ball to others. Then Scotty Pippen, BJ Armstrong would score 30 points, Jordan a few less, and the Bulls went from 80 points to 110.”
Mosimane believes his squad will be crucially more balanced.
“We’ve brought in finishers — Zungu scored about seven, so I think at Sundowns he can score 10. Dove Wome scored four, but the previous season more. Cuthbert Malajila scored 12 — he’s capable of 16. We had very good forward play from Tebogo Langerman at left back. That’s why we’ve brought Bryce Moon, to give us the wing play from right back. But this boy Zungu, I think is outstanding — overseas material.”