Downs okay as underdogs
ZWANE: COACH WILL BE FAIR AND FIRM WITH SELECTIONS
It is not often that Mamelodi Sundowns go into a domestic match as the underdog, particularly when they play at home.
But there is a decent argument that the tables may have turned today, with Kaizer Chiefs fancied by some to down Masandawana in a soldout DStv Premiership clash at Loftus Versfeld today (kick-off 3pm).
The script changed when the Glamour Boys beat Maritzburg United 3-0 in midweek, while the defending champions lost 1-0 to TS Galaxy.
Sundowns co-head coach, Rulani Mokwena said Sundowns would accept the tag, as it came with less pressure.
“We welcome the tag,” Mokwena (above) quipped. We will humbly take it and approach the game with the utmost humility. But that gives us no pressure, which is good.
“We know that we have a very difficult game but we love difficult games and we have the necessary experience to deal with them. They’ve got an extremely good squad and they are well coached.
The quality of the squad that Sundowns has is quite frightening if you ask any of the other 15 teams who make up the league, but for the Downs coaches, it is a constant headache when it comes to matchday selection and there was always a possibility of getting the personnel wrong.
“We also get it wrong and are unfair to certain players by not playing them when they believe they should play.
“Ultimately everybody has the responsibility to be professional, work hard and compete for a place in the team.
“We need four or five games to get into our rhythm and as soon as we are in that space... we know that we are one of the best, if not the best. We have the responsibility to always show that personality on the pitch.”
Arthur Zwane will be fair and firm in his team selections at Kaizer Chiefs. This is what he revealed this week after leaving one of the team’s promising youngsters Njabulo Blom, out of the starting XI in their 3-0 win over Maritzburg United during the week.
Blom is one of Zwane’s proteges from his time in the club’s development structures and was amongst the best performers last season.
And with Zwane now the head coach at Chiefs, it was expected that the likes of Blom, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and others from the club’s development structures would be top of the pecking order.
But that is not happening, and will not happen according to Zwane. He revealed this when answering a question about Blom’s absence from Tuesday’s game. New signing Dillon Solomons started at right back.
“When it comes to Njabulo, he knows he had a terrible game (against Royal AM) by his standards and those things happen. They happen even to the best in the world,” said Zwane.
“From the beginning of the season… (actually) before we went to pre-season, all the players were told that we are going to create competition. There is no player who will leave his house knowing he has a place in the first XI.
“Everyone will have to dig deeper. Everyone will have to show that he is good enough to play for a team of Kaizer Chiefs’ calibre.”
Solomons had a good game against Maritzburg and could be the man Zwane trusts again when they meet Mamelodi Sundowns in a DStv Premiership match this afternoon.
“All players knew that (no one is guaranteed a place) very well. So, Njabulo knew as well that if he does not perform – and especially now that we have Solomons at right-back, who did very well – he could be left out.
“He must up his game, and that is not only for him, but everyone. (Kgaogelo) Sekgota came on for Keagan Dolly and he went in there and gave us what we expected from him.
“It’s healthy competition and no one owns a position,” explained the Chiefs mentor.