• MOTORSPORT Sundowns’ Arendse fired up for Osaka kick-off

WAYNE Arendse had to have the bravery and nimble feet of a train-surfer when he hopped into the Mamelodi Sundowns’ train that was picking up speed just before it steamrolled everything in its path last season.

A wrong move could have meant the death of his career at Sundowns, just like it does for the daredevils who are into train-surfing.

The Mitchells Plain-born defender had only played 26 league matches in his first three seasons with the Pretoria club after his move from Santos in Cape Town four years ago.

Last season he bettered that, playing 27 league matches and forming an integral part of the Brazilians’ back four in their CAF Champions League triumph.

“The turning point in my career at Sundowns came last year when I got an opportunity to play and the coach backed me,” Arendse said.

“Looking at where I was coming from, I wasn’t playing, I told myself that it’s all about my mentality. I had to tell myself that I can play in a top team like Sundowns and do well in it.

“It’s not just me; there are a number of players who came into the team and stepped up. We were able to do that because we had the mentality of wanting to win and do well for ourselves and the club.

“That’s why we are in this position. That’s why we won the Champions League and are playing in the Fifa Club World Cup.”

That Club World Cup campaign starts this afternoon against Japanese champions Kashima Antlers.

Arendse will have to stop the fast Japanese attack that stunned Oceania champions Auckland City to book a meeting with Sundowns in the quarter-finals.

The Brazilians and Arendse owe being at this stage to the homework that coach Pitso Mosimane gave his players.

That homework included analysing their opponents’ last three matches leading up to their clash with Sundowns along with scrutinising their own performances.

That constant analysis of their previous matches helped Arendse because it’s hard to reflect when a team is winning, taking that success for granted but in defeat you are forced to re-evaluate.

Sundowns hardly lost in the last campaign.

After three frustrating seasons, Arendse wasn’t about to take any chance he got for granted. He made the most of his opportunity to a point that Mphahlele was moved to rightback upon his return because there was no place for him at centre-back.

“We always reflect on our games, even when we are winning,” Arendse said.

“That helps us see what is it that we can improve on. That was key to our success. Even when we win 5-0, we go back to our videos and pick up things that we could have done better. That’s what the coach is instilling in the payers.

“We might have won 5-0, but when we look at our videos we see that it could have been 8-0. He is never satisfied and that’s what keeps us on our toes.

“Today I can stand here as a Champions League winner because of that. I am playing in the World Cup because of that.”

The 32-year-old’s appearance at Suita City Football Stadium in Osaka this afternoon will be an emotional affair for him after he missed the second leg of the Champions League final in Alexandria through a suspension.

“A part of me wants to make up for that by showcasing my talent in the Club World Cup,” Arendse said. “As a team we want to show people what is it that we are about at Sundowns. We are psyched up for this.

“We know that this is an opportunity for us to face some of the best teams in the world, including Real Madrid.”