I used to call him the encyclopedia of Sundowns - Kekana on the late Shakoane.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns captain, Hlompho Kekana, has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late club PRO and Communications manager, Alex Shakoane.

Kekana, who was captain when Sundowns lifted their historic CAF Champions League title, says Shakoane was a man of principle, honor, integrity, as well as a protector.

When one wanted to know about the Sundowns culture, according to Kekana, Shakoane was your man.

"A father, an uncle, a grandfather, whatever you want to call him, but for me he was a man of principle, a man of honor, integrity and he was a protector. With him you’d feel safe, even with things that frustrated me as a footballer and a human being when I got to Sundowns, I would easily talk to him and he always had an answer (solution) for every challenge I was facing," Kekana told Mamelodi Sundowns media department.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/we-cant-lose-to-supersport-no-matter.html?m=1

"You can easily say you were safer around him [because] he could make the environment feel safe for you to express yourself within and around him. I will miss his stories, every time I’d see him I would ask him about the culture of Mamelodi Sundowns. He was the only person that I know who has seen Sundowns from generation to generation. 

"He knew what the background of the club was and I used to call him the encyclopedia of Sundowns and the historian of football in South Africa."

Sundowns are serious about development - Bishop.

Departing Mamelodi Sundowns Head of academy and methodology, Shawn Bishop, says the Brazilians are serious about the development of young players.

This season, Sundowns introduced Cassius Mailula to the Dstv Premiership, and the 21-year-old forward has since went on to take the league by storm, scoring and creating goals like a seasoned professional.

Besides Mailula, who has already made his Bafana Bafana debut, Sundowns have also given cameo appearances to youth internationals, Ntando Nkosi and Siyabonga Mabena.

Introducing youngsters to the senior team is impressive coming from a team that is known not to hesitate when it comes to opening their cheque  book to buy players they need.

Despite doing great work with the Sundowns academy, Bishop has been afforded an opportunity he couldn't refuse to work in Europe.

"It’s an opportunity that I couldn’t say no to, but the official announcement regarding that will come from Sundowns. The board, the chairman and everybody have been involved in the process," said Bishop as quoted by SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/confirmed-shawn-bishop-leaving-sundowns-head-of-academy-post

Bishop says he is planning to open a lot of opportunities for youngsters once he gets overseas.

"From Sundowns there’s no other African club you can go to. I felt that for my growth this is something I needed to do. I am planning to open a lot of doors for youngsters as well and see what we can do going forward," he added.

"The important thing for me is the operational structures that I have put in place – the growth and the changes in the academy from when I took over from the Johan Cruyff Foundation after learning a lot from those guys," Bishop explained. 

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/it-is-done-when-it-is-done-and-still-it.html?m=1

"I helped make sure the club has had growth and is sustainable, and the thing with academy football is that it’s a long-term athletic development plan. People think players are developed in two or three years, they are not. It’s 10 years. Sundowns are serious about development – Thando Buthelezi, Kabelo Moagi…those boys have been with us since they were 11-years old and now making their debuts in the first team."

It’s like being fed honey on a knife - Mokwena on Kouki's compliments.

CR Belouizdad coach, Nabil Kouki, showered Mamelodi Sundowns with praises after the latter knocked his side out of the Caf Champions League 6-2 on aggregate.

Kouki went as far as saying Sundowns are the best team in Africa at the moment, but Sundowns coach, Rulani Mokwena, says Kouki's compliments are like more like being fed honey on a knife.

The Sundowns tactician pointed to the Stellenbosch loss in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals, saying his side were the worst team in the match.

"We receive the compliments with a lot of humility and appreciation, coming from a very experienced coach on the continent, but you know like I always say with the pleasantries, it’s like being fed honey on a knife," Mokwena told iDiski Times https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/rulani-responds-to-koukis-praise-after-thumping-belouizdad

"I don’t have to go too far back because a couple of weeks ago, we lost to Stellies and we were the worst team, I was the worst coach and so… this is football.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/amazulu-coach-defends-his-players-over.html?m=1

"In football, you have to take the good moments, just like you take the bad moments, not too high in the good moments, not too low in the bad moments."

Sundowns will travel to KwaZulu Natal, Durban on Wednesday 03 May to take on AmaZulu FC.

The game will be played at Princess Magogo Stadium, with the kick-off at 19:30.

At Sundowns you have to play well and win - Says Mokwena.

After back-to-back wins against CR Belouizdad, and Richards Bay FC in the Caf Champions League and Dstv Premiership respectively, Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Rulani Mokwena, has shed some light on what his team has been going through lately.

Before they left to face CR Belouizdad in a CAFCL quarter-final in Algeria last weekend, a match they won 4-1, Sundowns had been struggling in the domestic front, with three straight draws in the league, and a Nedbank Cup exit in the hands of Stellenbosch FC.

"We know that at Sundowns you have to play well and win, we know that," Mokwena told Mamelodi Sundowns media.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/sundowns-wont-sacrifice-their-soul-for.html?m=1

"There are times where we have to show that we are Champions, we have to grind results a little bit and roll up our sleeves. It’s not always going to be pretty. It can’t be pretty because it’s not a world of realism and perfectionists. As I’ve said, I am very proud of the efforts of the players."

Mokwena says Sundowns finds themselves in a situation like that of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, where despite being tired, they still have to grind out results.

"We have to try to win every game, [it is a] difficult time for us because every game now is a game of consequence, everyone is playing for something. Every game is a game of consequence, that means we have to be at our best at every training session and at every match. We have to fight and we have to be able to solve football problems and the dynamics of the problems, even sometimes when we are a little bit tired. It’s not easy, it’s tough and it’s the space Bayern are in, it’s the space Real Madrid are in."

Sundowns host CR Belouizdad on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium for the CAFCL quarter-final second leg. Kick-off is at 16:00.

My phone hasn't stopped ringing - says Mokwena's agent.

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Rulani Mokwena, is a wanted man.

According to his agent, Steve Kapeluschik, North African teams are eager to Mokwena leading their ambitious teams, especially after Sundowns' impressive exploits in the Caf Champions League.

"My phone hasn’t stopped ringing. I’ve had inquiries from Egypt, Morocco, Tanzania, and even locally," Kapeluschnik told SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/agent-confirms-rulani-mokwena-interest-but-mamelodi-sundowns-talks-continue

While he has turned into a switch board receptionist, Kapeluschik says Mokwena is committed to continue with his work at Sundowns.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/suddenly-joining-sundowns-no-longer.html?m=1

"It is my job to inform my client, but coach Rulani has made it clear he wants to be at Sundowns. He believes there is something special that he can still go on to achieve at the club – they are just a different level and class. You can see it with the number of trophies," he added.

The North African interest in Mokwena is not surprising.

Forget the fact that he has only lost once since taking over the head coaching reigns at Sundowns.

You can also put aside the fact that he guided Downs to their sixth Dstv premiership title in a row with seven matches to spare, that is nothing compared to what Mokwena is capable of.

Simply put, a coach like Pitso Mosimane has perfected the football of the past, and quickly gliding towards the game of the future.

But Mokwena, like one of his favorite coaches, Pep Guardiola, is more of a coach who comes from the future.

His football intelligence, a result of hard work more than coaching talent, is out of this world.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/chippa-can-be-easy-prey-but-so-is-chiefs.html?m=1

While everyone is raving about the football his Sundowns side is playing, one can bet their last rand that compared to what Mokwena wants them to be, they are not even close.

In a nutshell, Sundowns will have to hasten in tying down their head coach, or risk playing against him in next season's CAFCL. 

Mvala: One of the major transfer market success stories for Sundowns.

Mamelodi Sundowns defender, Mothobi Mvala. Image: Twitter

When Mamelodi Sundowns signed Mothobi Mvala and Peter Shalulile from Highlands Park, they pulled one of the major coups in the history of the South African transfer market.

Both players have went on to establish themselves as key figures in the trailblazing Downs side.

Mothobi Mvala, who joined Downs in the 2020/21 season, has had mixed fortunes with the club, alternating between regular game time and lengthy spells on the bench.

But Mvala has proven himself to be a fighter. The bandaged warrior, has risen from the verge of obscurity at Downs, to making 28 appearances for the club this season, scoring two goals, and providing a single assist.

On top of fighting his way back into the Sundowns line up, Mvala has also found his way back into the national team, where he played in both matches against Liberia in a crucial AFCON qualifier.

Perhaps, what makes Mvala stand out from the rest, is his versatility.

He has fitted like a hand in a glove in central defence for Downs, keeping tried and tested defenders like Mosa Lebusa on the bench.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/ellis-and-dlamini-are-happy-with.html?m=1

Mvala's 'steelness' as Rulani Mokwena puts it, is one of his biggest strength, maybe more than his technical/tactical abilities.

More often than not, Mvala has been found wanting in one vs one situations against speedy, tricky forwards, forced into committing fouls in dangerous areas, but his prowess in the air, both in defensive and offensive situations, more so during set-pieces, plus his total commitment to the team's cause, has made Mvala almost indispensable at Downs.

Responding to questions about Mvala's persistent head injuries, his coach, Mokwena, had the following to say.

"The head injuries are just unfortunate," Mokwena told Times Live. https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-03-01-like-a-mechanic-with-an-oil-stain-sundowns-coach-mokwena-on-mvalas-bloody-situation/

"Like a teacher who goes home with a lot of chalk stains, like a mechanic who goes home with a lot of oil stains, unfortunately Mothobi has a situation where in a game he gets a bit of blood on the jersey.  

"I think it’s a demonstration of not only commitment and 'steelness' of a human being [he is], but his character is just."

Mokwena's comment emphasized the importance of the human being behind the footballer when it comes to Mvala, a true warrior who is not afraid to fight from the front line.

If there is one signing Downs should be proud of, amongst many successful ones, it has to be Mothobi Mvala. 

If home was a football club, it would be AmaZulu FC for Manqoba Mngqithi.

Image: Mamelodi Sundowns Social Media. 

The Folz hopes raised by Romain's appointment at AmaZulu earlier in the season have turned into nothing but a pipe dream.

The 32-year-old French tactician was recently relieved of his head coaching duties at Usuthu, redeployed as a technical advisor, with former striker, and Folz's assistant, appointed as the club's interim coach until the end of the season.

With Folz out of the picture, sort of,  and Usuthu probably looking for a suitable replacement, there is a coach who might just be what the doctor ordered for the KZN side, and that is non other than Mamelodi Sundowns third assistant, Manqoba Mngithi.

Mngqithi's contract with Downs will be over in May, meaning the experienced mentor might be open to a new challenge.

Having spent most of his time at the Brazilians under the shadow of Pitso Mosimane, and currently under Rulani Mokwena, Mngqithi might relish an opportunity to finally stand on his own two feet once again.

But what would be the pros and cons of Mngqithi joining Usuthu?

The pros...

Besides the obvious fact as stated above, that of Mngqithi getting an opportunity to blaze his own trail at Usuthu, there is more to the possible union.

Sandile Zungu has proven beyond any reasonable doubt his ambition to take Usuthu to the dizzying heights of South African football.

With Mngqithi's years of experience and knowledge of the game, Zungu's ambitions would have more chances to see the light of day than not.

Having spent years at Sundowns, a team that has been dominant in the local game, Mngqithi has learned enough to help realize Zungu's vision for AmaZulu.

On top of the above mentioned, Mngqithi is a proponent of good football, something that can help in turning the pride of KZN into an attractive side to watch, bringing more fans to the stadium.

Lastly, the experienced mentor is known to be some kind of a strict disciplinarian.

With rumors of Folz losing the dressing room, which ultimately led to his redeployment, Mngqithi is the man who can get the Usuthu house back in order, without much of a hassle.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-mamelodi-sundowns-can-expect-from.html?m=1

And the cons....

Sundowns are a dream to be part of at the moment for any coach, even as an assistant.

With the trail blazing club flexing their muscle both locally and the continent, Mngqithi might be tempted to stay on and continue to be part of the history making Brazilians.

Job security and a positive working environment are hard to come by in the world of football, and that is exactly what Mngqithi has at Downs.

Leaving for AmaZulu might come with obvious risks involved with joining a new club, like things not working out and the former teacher finding himself in the growing pool of unemployed coaches.

Is he willing to take that risk? Only the end of May will tell. But Mngqithi and AmaZulu do look like a match made in a football heaven. 

A prophet will never be celebrated at home - Says Rulani Mokwena.

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Rulani Mokwena. Image credit: Twitter. 

Mamelodi Sundowns are yet to taste defeat in over 20 games across all competitions under the tutelage of Rulani Mokwena.

The Brazilians wrapped their sixth league title with seven matches to spare, while they are still in the running for the Nedbank Cup and the Caf Champions League.

Downs' success under Mokwena has come on the back of some quality, cutting edge football on the pitch, the type of football one can expect to see from teams coached by the one and only Pep Guardiola.

While Mokwena has earned respect from across the African continent, especially in the hard-to-please North African football sphere, where he is already a subject of speculation concerning joining some of their best clubs, at home he is still a subject of ridicule.

His 'failure' at Orlando Pirates and Chippa United is still thrown in with regular abandon in conversations about the 36-year-old tactician.

If it is not the Pirates and Chippa story, his short term success is attributed to the team's financial muscle, and the quality of the players at his disposal, and not to his tactical acumen.

Fortunately, Mokwena has never been the one to blow his own horn, he has always emphasized how the game belongs to the players.

But, when all is said and done, what is more important is that Mokwena is well aware of the fact that one is never really appreciated enough at home, which is the unfortunate part of South African football when it comes to our coaches.

"My refraining from getting too much into that space is because the game of football is a team sport and I believe the game of football belongs to the players. I stay true to that," said Mokwena as quoted by Times Live.

"We as coaches, our jobs are to support and give some form of preparation and assistance to the players and try to help them with their performances. I genuinely believe this.   

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-three-year-contract-extension-might.html?m=1

"I’d rather not go there because South Africa is a very difficult country, but I guess — and I’ve used this quote before — a prophet will never be celebrated at home.  

"That’s why when people send me things, I’m not surprised that a lot of the write-ups about this team, the coaching and the details actually come from Europe. It's from foreign people rather than from South Africa. So why should I go into that space? It's not for me."

Attention to detail, according to Rulani Mokwena, is a way of life at Sundowns.

 

                                                      Image credit: iDiski Times Twitter

Paying attention to detail, it seems, has been a way of life at Mamelodi Sundowns, since the days of Pitso Mosimane, if Rulani Mokwena’s comments are anything to go by.

Making full use of advancements in modern football has seen Sundowns become a dominant force, without any peers in South African football, having already wrapped up the league, their sixth title in a row, with seven matches still to play.

Top teams around the world; make use of performance analysts, including video and data analysts, and scientists to break down small details about their opponents, as well as their own performances to help them gain an advantage over their rivals.

With football fast become a game of small margins when it comes to the gap between big and small teams, as Morocco showed the world during Qatar 2022, small details have become the difference between winning or losing a game, it is in that spirit that Sundowns have been slowly building their success both in local and continental football.

By the time the Brazilians discover their Caf Champions League quarterfinal opponents on Wednesday 05 April, they will already know what to expect from them.

"It's just the culture of the club. It's the culture that was created before I was appointed, and it's one that I have a responsibility to try and carry on," said Mokwena as quoted by SABC Sport. Football, Cricket, and All Sports Latest News - SABC Sport

"We are a team that believes in excellence, but that is only bred through preparation and consistency, so delegating four of our analysts to travel, go, and scout and assess the Champions League opponents is just something that was done even prior to my appointment as head coach.

"It's something that has helped the club achieve good results in the past in the Champions League, so our responsibility is to try and continue that way.

"As I said, it's just a Sundowns culture and it would be ill of me to take credit for that.

 "We have four analysts out at the Raja [Casablanca] game yesterday [Saturday], Wydad... From the top of my head, I can't give you the exact matches but I know they'll give me documentation of six of the eight quarterfinalists.”

Mokwena on comparisons between the current Downs side and the class of 2016:

"It's a group that has to be given fair opportunities to be able to make their own mark and write their own history, and create their own legacy in the club," he defended.

"And just like the squad that delivered the Champions League [in 2016], before delivering the trophy, I can remember how many times we tried and eventually, even when we did win the Champions League – if you remember, we were eliminated.

"So, you had to be fair to that group, and you have to be fair to this group, and give them its fair amount of support and chance to be able to live its own football story. 

"I strongly believe this team and group of players eventually will win the Champions League. When will it happen? I can't play God, but I know that every single day we work towards this objective."

I think not enough credit is given to this group – Mokwena on his team.

To find the last time Mamelodi Sundowns lost a league match, you will have to go back to the 2nd of September 2022, when they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against SuperSport United, that was ages ago.

Since then, the Brazilians went on an amazing 16-match ubeaten run in the league, which included a 15-match winning streak, where they managed to keep a whopping 12 clean sheets.

Now, we may say the Dstv Premiership is a weak league blah blah blah...

Okay, fair enough, but the very same Sundowns team have done tremendously well in the Caf Champions League as well, winning four of their six group stage matches, with two draws, and they qualified for the quarterfinals on top of their group.

To achieve the type of results and dish out the kind of performances Downs have given us this season can take a lot out of players, their mental strength has been tested to the limits, physically they have had to push themselves to the edge, tactically they have had to apply themselves with military precision, especially in the CAFCL, yet they are still standing, and going strong.

In light of the above, and the fact that they have won the league with seven matches to spare, Downs’ head coach, Rulani Mokwena, is justified in saying that his players deserve more credit than they are given, we might not be at a point where naming a town after them is part of the conversations, but credit, that they deserve in abundance.

Mokwena on winning the league, and why his players deserve more credit:

“It was a bit difficult because we live in such a digital and social media space and whether you like it or not the players will know,” Mokwena said as quoted by Times Live.

“So my speech to them before the game was, ‘Congratulations, because you guys know about it, but now you’ve got [a game]’. 

“And really it’s something they need to be congratulated for. And sometimes in South Africa it’s downplayed, and maybe we are victims of our own success where people undermine the difficulties of winning the Premier League. 

“The league title is the hardest to win in any country. You’ve got to play against 15 opponents home and away and the competition lasts eight or nine months. There’s no other competition any team competes in that lasts as long. 

“Sometimes maybe because of the way it may be perceived, and people start to think it looks easy, that’s actually the most difficult. 

“And tonight’s was maybe a game like that where we had to not be in a celebratory mood because we’d won the championship, which was a very difficult championship. 

“And maybe people might not think that but it’s so difficult to have the level of consistency that this group has shown over the number of games we’ve played — having to win and win and win and win without getting tired is not easy. 

“There’s a level of complacency that creeps in. To not allow that and stay at a good competitive mental level is very difficult. I think not enough credit is given to this group for that.” 

 

Shabba on why Sundowns are successful.

Simphiwe Tshabalala. Image: Twitter. 

Former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana winger, Simphiwe Shabalala, has come out in full praise of Mamelodi Sundowns.

Shabba is highly impressed by the Sundowns scouting system, that has brought gems like Marcelo Allende, Gaston Sirino, Peter Shalulile, Cassius Mailula, as well as youngsters like Siyabonga Mabena and Ntando Nkosi to Chloorkop.

"Contrary to the statements, I would say that we can learn from the scouting system, how they run the development structures, the investment in development," Shabalala told journalists at a Nedbank Cup event, as quoted by Soccer Laduma. https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/premiership/mamelodi-sundowns/shabba-weighs-in-on-sundowns-money-debate-20230326

"And aso it's not a team that only buys, they keep on manufacturing players and promote at the right time, they introduce these players gradually, they don't just throw them in the deep end."

On the seamless integration of new players at Downs:

"I am not sure but I believe that maybe they are being taken into the induction process, so that they learn, they understand the culture of the team, they understand what success comes with in terms of pressure and expectations, hence they don't struggle when given an opportunity."

On whether Downs success is because of their huge financial muscle:

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/apparently-chiefs-have-beaten-pirates-in-the-race-for-msimango/

"And also it is not about how much money you have, it's about how well you utilize the resources, how well do you invest that money that will also enable you to get good returns.

"It's about reinvesting all the time, it's a long-term project. For me I think that's what I like about the whole system that they've created and now they've become an institution."