Showing posts with label Ronwen Williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ronwen Williams. Show all posts

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Mokoena, Williams, prove their doubters wrong.


It is now history that Teboho Mokoena (Footballer and midfielder of the season) and Ronwen Williams (Goalkeeper of the season) were big winners in the PSL awards held on Sunday evening.

For Williams, who was said to have committed career suicide by switching to Mamelodi Sundowns from neighbors SuperSport United at the beginning of the 2022/23 season, winning the goalkeeper of the season is more of an egg to the faces of those who expected him to play second fiddle to Denis Onyango.

Given a chance in the beginning of the campaign, Williams quickly showed why he is South Africa's number one, by keeping clean sheet after clean sheet, pulling off some brilliant saves at times, making the goalkeeping spot his own.

More than anything, it is how Williams fitted perfectly within the Sundowns style of play that was impressive, which includes a lot of build ups from the back.

ALSO READ: If happiness was a football club, that club would be Orlando Pirates.

http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/happiness-lives-at-orlando-pirates.html

Comfortable with the ball on his feet, Williams added an extra dimension to Downs cutting edge football.

He went on to play 26 League matches for Sundowns, conceding nine goals and keeping a record breaking 18 clean sheets.

If you include all competitions, Williams appeared 41 times for Downs, with 25 goals conceded and 22 clean sheets.

As for Mokoena, it was a season where he showed how good he can be if he worked a little bit harder, off the ball that is.

His exploits on the ball are well documented, he can play.

But it is his work out of possession that, at times, left a lot to be desired. When he replaced Andile Jali as a Sundowns number six, a lot of Downs supporters were unhappy, some went as far as saying he was not Downs material.

ALSO READ: Bucs tipped to raid the transfer market in preparation for next season: http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/pirates-expected-to-raid-transfer.html

But Tebza, a fighter, knuckled down and did a fantastic job in the Sundowns midfield, appearing 39 times across all competitions, with two goals scored, and three assists in his name.

Williams, and Mokoena, both born leaders, played a huge role in Downs' record breaking season,

They also have a big role to play for Sundowns and the national team going forward, and their awards were well deserved too!



Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Suddenly, joining Sundowns no longer looks like career suicide for Williams.


Ronwen Williams equalled the legendary Moeneeb Josephs record of 17 clean sheets on Tuesday when Mamelodi Sunfowns beat Richards Bay 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld.

Williams has been instrumental in Sundowns' impressive league run this season, conceding only seven goals as the champions lifted the Dstv premiership title with seven games to spare.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/mark-mayambela-from-dazzling-dribbling.html?m=1

This is the same Williams who was said to be on his way out of the Bafana Bafana squad after if he was announced as Sundowns new keeper just before the beginning of the season.

After all, Sundowns Denis Onyango, one of the best goalkeepers Africa has to offer, minding their goal with aplomb.

In short, Williams was on his way straight to the Sundowns bench to join Kennedy Mweene and Riyaard Pieterse in twiddling their thumbs with limited action.

But Williams and the Brazilians technical team had other ideas, it seems.

The national team has since made the Downs goalkeeping position his own, putting on some strong performances both in domestic and continental football, including two crucial penalty saves against Al Ahly SC, and Al Hilal Omdurman respectively.

It is not only Ronwen's exploits in goal that have been impressive this season, but his heavy involvement with Sundowns' traditional build up from the back.

At times, Williams fully takes over the duties of one of the center backs during build up play, fully epitomizing what a modern goalkeeper should be.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/its-his-job-says-mokwena-about-williams.html?m=1

As the season approaches the finish line, Williams will mostly set a new record of clean sheets kept in a season, and well on his way to a Dstv premiership Player of the Season award. 

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