Makaab confirms Jali's Sundowns exit.

    

• All good things come to an end, and so is Andile Jali's journey with Mamelodi Sundowns.

Jali's agent, Mike Makaab, has ended months of speculation by confirming that the midfielder is leaving Sundowns after the two parties, Prosport international and the club agreed on a mutual termination which will be done during the course of the week.

Jali joined Sundowns in 2018, enjoying much success with the club having won five league titles.

The 2021/22 season was probably Jali's best season at Sundowns, with him playing an integral role in their treble winning team.

It was in the season that has just ended where Jali's Sundowns career turned on its head.

He was relegated to the bench, only managing a few cameo appearances, especially after Rulani Mokwena took over the head coaching reigns.

The final straw came when Jali allegedly arrived at Chloorkop under the influence of alcohol, which was followed by him stopping to train with the club.

"We are in the process of finalising a mutual termination, which will be done during the course of this week. He will leave on a positive and amicable basis," Makaab told SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/confirmed-andile-jali-leaving-mamelodi-sundowns

"An official statement will come from the club, but when a “new coach” comes in to the building…he has his own thoughts and ideas, and we have to respect that and so does AJ," he added.

As recent as last week when Sundowns were booted out of the CAF Champions League by Wydad AC, many Downs fans felt that Jali could have made a huge difference in helping the team maintain their lead.

That's how influential the player has been to that Sundowns midfield.

Makaab says the club appreciates Jali for his services, and so does the player for the way he was welcomed.

But one thing for sure, he won't appreciate the way his exit was handled, having last played for the club in February.

ALSO READ: Truter praises Riveiro: http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/truter-showers-riveiro-with-praises.html

"I know that Sundowns are very appreciative of the value that Andile has brought to the club and he is too of the way he was welcomed. He wore the captain’s armband, which is one of the great achievements. There’s absolutely nothing else other than purely technical reasons."

Although Makaab did not give much away in terms of Jali's next move, it is no secret that the midfielder, whom Maakab says is the best number six in the country, has many admirers.

Kaizer Chiefs, who have battled to fill the void left by Njabulo Blom in the midfield, is rumoured to be one of them.

"We are trying to finalise the issue with Sundowns out of respect for both parties. He wants to play, he believes he’s got two more years at least. He was outstanding last year and good in the first few months of this season – but things can change. We will have to play it by ear now.

"Then we have to get him ready for pre-season. He’s got a personal trainer at the moment and he is very motivated for the next chapter. I still believe, and this is my opinion, that he is the best No.6 in the land." 

Truter showers Riveiro with praises before Nedbank Cup final showdown.

                 Image: iDiskiTv

Brandon Truter knows how to talk a good game before a big game.

The Sekhukhune United coach has showered his Orlando Pirates counterpart, Jose Riveiro with sweet praises ahead of the two sides Nedbank Cup final clash on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

If anything, Riveiro should be blushing from Truter's praises.

Nonetheless, none of what Truter says about the Spanish tactician is lie.

Orlando Pirates play some attractive attacking football, and slowly but surely, one can see the identity that Riveiro is instilling in the team.

A second place finish, which takes Pirates to the CAF Champions League, an MTN8 trophy in the bag, and a Nedbank Cup final, which could mean another trophy loading, means Riveiro deserves all the praises he can get, and Truter is not stingy with them.

"Jose has done fantastically well this season," he said as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/nedbank-cup/riveiro-improves-sa-football-truter/

"In terms of the strides that he made at the club, at Pirates, creating an identity as well.

"This is the type of coaches we should be attracting to the PSL, in terms of adding value to the product, in terms of helping our development in South Africa as a country where football is going.

"I think Pirates at this stage has a clear identity of attractive, attacking football and that’s how you want football to be played in the end of the day.

"That identity is clear, also with the striker’s coach and coach Mandla [Ncikazi] as well."

ALSO READ: Mailula thought they were going to extra-time against Wydad:http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/i-thought-are-we-going-to-extra-time.html

Perhaps, one of the biggest truths in Truter's praise of Riveiro, is the fact that Orlando Pirates didn't bring one of the 'Plumbers' from overseas to coach the club, but a quality coach.

"I think they’ve bridged some gaps there on foreign coaches coming into the country as well, it’s not just adding numbers, but adding quality to the league."

Brakkies, as Truter is also known, deserves sweet praises of his own.

He managed to lift Sekhukhune from the relegation zone into a 7th place finish in the DStv Premiership.

With Pirates having finished second, therefore qualifying for the CAFCL, It means Sekhukhune, by virtue of reaching the Nedbank Cup final, have qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup. 

I thought ‘are we going to extra-time - Mailula.

                 Image: iDiski Times 

Mamelodi Sundowns forward, Cassius Mailula, says he thought they would go to extra-time after the CAF Champions League semi-final against Wydad Athletic Club ended 2-2.

It took someone reminding him of the away goal rule for the sad reality to sink in for the 21-year-old Mailula, which was followed by heartbreak and a rain of tears.

"Even after the final whistle I thought ‘are we going to extra-time?’ But then someone told me ‘no, it’s away goals’," Mailula told MSW, as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/mailula-explains-tearful-breakdown-after-cafcl-exit/

"That’s why I was so, so emotional because I believed that if we’re going to extra-time, I thought they didn’t have a chance. But that’s what happened."

Mailula says winning the CAFCL title has been his goal since 2016.

He says it has always been his dream to see himself lifting the trophy alongside his idol, Themba Zwane.

ALSO READ: Kermit Erasmus on Ratomo: http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/hes-such-great-talent-erasmus-on-ratomo.html

"I knew from day 1 that this is what I want, the dream that I always wanted. [Winning CAFCL] is something that I wanted to achieve.

"I would’ve actually loved to be in the final and win it in my first season with the first team, and actually to lift the trophy with Themba Zwane – Mshishi, because it’s one of the things that I said in 2016, it’s something I want to do one day."

While his dream took a heartbreaking knock, Mailula says it is not over. He will take the experiences learned from the competition and move on.

"But I don’t think it’s over. I think I’ve learnt a lot in this competition. It’s one of those days in football where you have to experience such things and to learn."

He's such a great talent - Erasmus on Ratomo.

Orlando Pirates youngster, Relebohile Ratomo, is one of the shining lights in South African football, alongside the likes of Mduduzi Shabalala of Kaizer Chiefs, and Siyabonga Mabena of Mamelodi Sundowns.

While Shabalala was handed his Chiefs senior debut a bit earlier, Ratomo had to wait longer for his chance.

But when it came, he grabbed it with both hands.

Ratomo made his DStv Premiership debut for Pirates in their draw against Royal AM, but it was in their final game of the season, a 4-0 win over AmaZulu where the 18-year-old formally introduced himself to Bucs fans by scoring a goal.

Pirates forward, Kermit Erasmus, revealed to iDiski Times what he told the Ratomo to calm his nerves.

“You know when he came in he was sitting next to me in the changing room and he looked a little bit nervous,” Erasmus told iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/dstv-premiership/erasmus-reveals-his-advice-to-bucs-talent/

“And all I told him was to never forget that he’s got the ability to play as long as he was willing to make the hard yards for the team, the ability will come out on its own. It’s not to be fearful of the occasion, just play with freedom.

“It’s easier said than done but, you know, I think when you hear from somebody who’s been part of the team or been in the game, it comes across a bit different."

ALSO READ: Roberto De Zerbi on Man City draw: http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/we-deserved-result-de-zerbi-on-man-city.html

Erasmus says Ratomo is a great talent who needs to keep his feet on the ground to have a flourishing career.

“You could see in the game, he had so much fun. He’s such a great talent, I just hope that he has a great career and he keeps his feet on the ground.”

With experienced players like Erasmus around him, Ratomo is in good hands. 

We deserved the result - De Zerbi on Man City draw.

Brighton & Hove Albion needed all but a point to make sure of their Europa League spot, and they pushed Manchester City to the limit to earn it with an exciting 1-1 draw at the Amex on Wednesday evening.

Julio Enciso scored a stunning equalizer from long range in the 38th minute to cancel Phil Foden's earlier strike, earning Brighton a well deserved result.

Brighton boss, Roberto De Zerbi, says City didn't do them any favors, they deserved their point, in what he says was one of the best games of the season.

"We didn’t receive a gift of the one point, we deserved the result. I am really proud, because I think this one of the best games of the season. It was very tough, but we played with incredible quality and courage," De Zerbi said after the match as quoted by brightonandhovealbion.com.

"The improvement of the players has been fantastic and for me it’s very satisfying. We had to respect ourselves, the club and our fans and show the courage and that we believe in ourselves to win against the best team in the world. I think we did that."

When he took over the reigns at Brighton, De Zerbi says qualifying for Europe was not in his mind.

Learning about his players and the English Premier League was his main focus.

ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola on the Brighton draw: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/brighton-they-destroy-other-opponents.html?m=1

But with just a game left in their season, Brighton have achieved the seemingly impossible under the Italian, qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history, while playing some brilliant football.

 "At the beginning I didn’t put my focus on the target of the Europa League. I had to analyse the players, learn about the Premier League and to understand the new country," he added.

"But step by step I started to think about our potential and in February it was clear in my head that we could fight for a big target."

Brighton, they destroy the other opponents - Guardiola.

       Image: Fabrizio Romano Facebook

Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday evening at the Falmer Stadium.

Phil Foden put the English Premier League champions ahead in the 25th minute, before Julio Enciso equalized for Brighton with a stunner in the 38th minute.

In a game where the only stat that went City's way is ball possession, which they had 61% of, Brighton, who showed City absolutely no respect, dominated the other aspects; with 20 goal attempts to City's 13, and seven shots on target, while City had four.

Man City boss, Pep Guardiola, says Brighton destroys the other opponents with the type of football they play, and he is happy with how his side responded to their threat, by not dropping the momentum they have been keeping in the past few weeks.

"Brighton, they destroy the other opponents they have been playing. They did it in certain moments, especially the last 10 or 15 minutes, we struggled but we did really well," Guardiola told Sky Sports after the game.

"We cannot drop momentum. I didn't see it, against Chelsea I didn't see it today. During the week we have to rest, recover mentally. It's been demanding for the past six months playing Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and chasing Arsenal. The training now is just relaxed."

ALSO READ: Hunt on why SA football needs a reboot: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/hunt-has-spoken-sa-football-needs-reboot.html?m=1

Guardiola says the game was exceptional, especially considering the fact that they played 48 hours after drinking all the alcohol in Manchester.

"Exceptional game. Congratulations to Brighton for their deserved qualification to the Europa League.

"The game we played, 48 hours after we drank all the alcohol in Manchester, 48 hours later we behaved and we showed why we were the champions against that team.

"We showed what we have done with and without the ball. I didn't see one drop in our intensity and idea. They had chances, we had chances, we scored a goal, they scored a goal.

"Both teams want the ball, both teams want to press. The keepers are fundamental in this game. The quality they have, they are an exceptional team."

Hunt has spoken, SA football needs a reboot.

SuperSport United coach, Gavin Hunt is one of the few coaching 'elders' remaining and still very much involved in South African football amongst an influx of new, younger generation of coaches, and when an elder speaks, we need to listen and take notes.

Answering football journalist, Lorenz Kohler's question about most Premier Soccer League's teams being less than 10 years old, Hunt said South African football needs a serious reboot.

Hunt believes PSL teams have bloated squads and they need to cut down on the number of players they have on their books.

But one important issue that hunt touched on, is the issue of PSL clubs selling their franchises like hot fat cakes on a busy street in the morning.

One has to look at one club that is a huge part of the South African football heritage, Wits University, whose 99 years of history has been 'erased' in less than three years after they sold their status to recently relegated Marumo Gallants.

Wits is not the only South African football heritage that has literally gone down the drain, Bloemfontein Celtic is another fallen giant, having been purchased by KwaZulu-Natal business woman, Shauwn Mkhize and renamed Royal AM.

According to hunt, if a team's status is purchased, the name should not change, as well as the club's base.

ALSO READ: Erik Ten Hag on Manchester United's ambitions: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/we-want-to-compete-with-best-ten-hag.html?m=1

Teams form a huge part of the community they are based in, they become part of the community's soul, one can only look at what Celtic meant to the people of Bloemfontein, and what it did to them when it was sold.

Imagine Mamelodi Sundowns being sold to a businessman from Limpopo, and renamed Limpopo Sundowns, just ponder on that.

Hunt, has touched on some serious issues.

Even clubs themselves need their own internal reboots.

The fact that Mamelodi Sundowns has won the DStv Premiership title says a lot about the declining level of competitiveness in our elite league.

Sundowns winning the league with seven matches to spare this time around, and with a points gap of 16 for two seasons running should lead to the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates doing some serious introspection, and, as Hunt says, do some very necessary reboots.