Motsepe’s gift to triumphant Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns' president Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the team will share the close to R21-million that comes with winning the CAF Champions League. Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Mamelodi Sundowns' president Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the team will share the close to R21-million that comes with winning the CAF Champions League. Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Published Oct 24, 2016

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Alexandria – Mamelodi Sundowns’ president Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the team will share the close to R21-million that comes with winning the CAF Champions League. Since the mining magnate took over the club in 2004, it has always been his policy to give the players and the technical team the entire winnings while he takes only the trophy to display at the Brazilians’ headquarters in Chloorkop.

The Champions League was the only that hadn’t graced Sundowns’ offices in Motsepe’s time. It has always been the billionaire’s dream to see Sundowns rule the continent. He brought coaches like Miguel Gamondi, Henri Michel, Hristo Stoichkov and Johan Nesskens to realise that dream but he only experienced nightmares. Pitso Mosimane succeed in the continent in his fourth year in charge of the club. It was only their second participation in the Champions League under Mosimane who took over when Sundowns were bottom of the log in 2012.

“I had lots of coaches from all over the world,” Motsepe said. “I had to wait for a young man from South Africa to show us, something that we always knew, that we have so much talent in South Africa. We must just give our coaches a chance.”

Motsepe continued, “It’s no secret that I had tried to get Pitso for some time, even before he went to the national team. When he did that I understood that going to the national team was a part of him making a contribution to South Africa. There’s a young boy from Soweto, KwaMashu or Khayelitsha, who looks at Pitso and says that here is one of our own winning the highest and most respected trophy in Africa, I can also do it whether as a coach or a player.”

Motsepe’s face had beads of sweat when he said this. It was a change from the tears that took over that face during the lunch he had with the Sundowns’ supporters he flew here to support the team. They welcomed him with a song at the plush Four Seasons Hotel by the seaside on Sunday afternoon. The love they showed Motsepe overwhelmed him.

“It’s so emotionally fulfilling and it makes me so happy to be with these supporters who sing and are so passionate,” Motsepe said. “They are the heartbeat of this team. Without them there is no Sundowns.”

Those fans will cherish this experience because they witnessed history, Sundowns winning the Champions League for the first time in their history. They did so with an aggregate score of 3-1 after Zamalek won the second leg 1-0 at Borg El-Arab Stadium on Sunday night. Sundowns had already done the job at home with their 3-0 win. They’ll now be rewarded for that.

“The prize money is theirs,” Motsepe said. “All of the $1.5-million (close to R21-million). They must sit down now and start to think that how are they going to divide that money among themselves. We got into football as a family in a humble way to give back. I hope that the guys don’t waste the money now. Put it into something that will benefit you when your football is over.”

Sundowns’ will return to the country tomorrow and the following day start their Telkom Knockout title defence against Polokwane City. It’s a hectic schedule that will even get busier because of their involvement in the Fifa Club World Cup next year. Motsepe, who was silent when Mosimane spoke about not getting enough support from the PSL on their schedule, was non-committal about whether they’ll make another request to move certain games.

“I am the most hopeless person when it comes to these issues,” Motsepe said. “The people at Mamelodi Sundowns will engage with the relevant authorities. Let’s allow them to engage, try to do what’s best for the league, the club and South African football.”

Independent Media

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