Zooming on title Zwane eager for race to resume

Midfielder remains upbeat about his team being champs

● Themba Zwane laughs.

In fact he is closer to a fit with his endless haughty giggle — the one you associate with girls talking about potential boyfriends while fetching water in rivers deep down in some of the rural villages.

Zwane gets to this point when one suggests that perhaps the 2019-20 season should be abandoned and the league title handed over to rivals Kaizer Chiefs as there seems to be no immediate cure to the coronavirus pandemic that is wreaking havoc.

It is not surprising that the Thembisaborn 30-year-old is even prepared to wait to settle matters between Sundowns and Chiefs on the field of play.

Sundowns are gunning for a third successive league gong and a record 10th PSL title.

Already this season Sundowns bagged the Telkom Knockout and are in the semifinal of the Nedbank Cup against Bidvest Wits.

“Listen, if there’s no way [to stop the virus now], we have to wait then,” Zwane agrees when he’s told it may take up to or even more than a year for the situation to get back to normal.

“Ja, we have to wait and see when this thing will finish because, aargh, to be honest for me I say we still have a chance to fight for the league.

“We still have a chance to fight for the league, I will be honest with you. So if they say there’s no way to play football for now … there will be a chance later.

“This thing [the virus] will be over. Some of us we always keep on praying … bathi ayikho into engapheli [they say there’s nothing that doesn’t come to an end]. There will be time for this coronavirus to go away, so ja.

“There’s a chance [to catch Chiefs]. If you can check the log now and check the games, you can see that we still have a chance, to be honest.”

Another reason why Zwane will be disappointed if things were to be decided in the PSL’s boardroom is that he has again put in so much effort this season in helping his team come within four points, and a game in hand, of catching Chiefs.

Zwane’s form was so good that he was mentioned as a contender for player of the season. Others mentioned were Lebohang Manyama of Chiefs and league top scorer Gabadinho Mhango of Orlando Pirates.

In 16 league games he has played for Sundowns in the current campaign, the unassuming Zwane scored nine goals (five fewer than Mhango), and he provided five assists.

That kind of form for a player who is not a striker, but merely one expected to support those scoring the goals, is impressive.

“Ja, I was hoping and for me that’s the thing that I want,” he says of winning the PSL’s player of the season award, following two former teammates Percy Tau and Khama Billiat, who are among the players who have won it in the past five seasons.

“I was hoping to be there among the best when the season finishes.

“I know that I did well and my aim for now is that if we resume later, I go on to score more goals.

“I want to help the team win the championship. If I help my team to win all these remaining games [nine], there’s a chance we’ll win the league. Well, with the awards anything is possible.”

After being troubled by injuries towards the end of last season, Zwane is happy with his contribution to the club this season. Capping that with a league title in such a momentous year for the club would be a cherry on top for one of the most disciplined professionals in the league.

“Ja, to be honest I was getting my rhythm and scoring goals and the only thing I need to do is to stay focused,” he says.

“When this coronavirus is finished, I have to continue where I left off. The biggest thing I need to do is to practise my shooting because with the way we’re doing things now [at home], I can’t do that.”

Zwane says it’s very difficult for himself and his teammates to get used to training at home while everyone waits for the virus to subside.

“We’re facing a difficult situation in which we have to follow the instruction from the president of the country.

“As footballers we train on our own using a video call.

“Honestly, it’s not the same because you’re used to your teammates pushing you to improve your game, but training on your own is difficult.

“But we understand that we have to wait.”

The Sundowns midfielder is open to the suggestion of playing games behind closed doors.

“If the authorities decide and think that

If you check the log now and check the games, you can see that we still have a chance Themba Zwane

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder

playing behind closed doors is safer for us, ja, we can do it, why not?

“As long as it’s not going to cost people’s lives, it’s okay. We can continue without the supporters,” he said.

Even for a relatively rich and stable club like Sundowns, the issue of having proper training equipment and enough space to train at home has posed serious challenges for Zwane, his teammates and many other players at other clubs in the PSL.

“Honestly no, not all of us have the right equipment to train at home,” Zwane said.

“We’re just concentrating on the body to be balanced and stronger.

“We’re not even running, we’re just doing balancing, which helps the body to be stronger.

“This will help us a lot when we go back because we’ll just have the energy to get more fit.”

Winning the league will befit his giggle coming from a good place. A place of a remarkable winner.