Is this the best Sundowns side ever?

Wayne Arendse of Mamelodi Sundowns is challenged by Sthembiso Ngcobo of Free State Stars during the Absa Premiership match between Free State Stars and Mamelodi Sundowns on 07 February 2016 at James Motlatsi Stadium Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Wayne Arendse of Mamelodi Sundowns is challenged by Sthembiso Ngcobo of Free State Stars during the Absa Premiership match between Free State Stars and Mamelodi Sundowns on 07 February 2016 at James Motlatsi Stadium Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Published Feb 9, 2016

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As Mamelodi Sundowns continue to smash everything in their path, they keep moving closer to breaking records set by Kaizer Chiefs last season.

But coach Pitso Mosimane isn’t driven by that. He is focused on bettering the club’s records by bringing the CAF Champions League trophy to Chloorkop. If they can achieve that, they can claim to be the best Sundowns side of all-time after the 2001 team lost in the final. But could this be the greatest Sundowns side ever assembled?

In terms of achievements they fall short of the Brazilians golden generation which won a hat-trick of Premiership titles from the 1997/98 - 1999/2000 seasons. But in terms of the football they play, they can be a match, this lot having brought back the ‘shoe shine and piano’ display the Brazilians are famous for in going 18 matches unbeaten in all competitions.

“We have a lot of people with experience and leadership qualities,” Mosimane said. “Thabo (Nthethe) is the captain but Wayne Arendse was captain at Santos, Teko (Modise) was captain here, (Dennis) Onyango does it for Uganda, Kennedy (Mweene) is a captain and Surprise (Moriri) was captaining the team last year. There are a lot of guys with the right mentality and who understand the business.”

That mentality will be crucial if this generation is to eclipse past Sundowns’ greats. For starters they have to build a dynasty. The foundation of that has been placed with club president Patrice Motsepe backing Mosimane who has brought three trophies in the three seasons he has started at the club.

If this generation is to be the best side coached by Mosimane, they have to do better than the 65 points they amassed in the 2013/14 season where they scored 51 goals en-route to lifting the club’s record sixth Premiership title. Picking up three points against Orlando Pirates tomorrow night at Orlando Stadium will see the club just 20 points behind that record with 11 matches to go. The Buccaneers are the last side to form some semblance of a dynasty when they won six trophies in two seasons, including back-to-back league titles, but they have struggled this campaign.

“They’re a good team, it’s just that they haven’t found their rhythm,” Mosimane said. “My opinion is because they fiddle a lot with the team. You never know who is playing. There’s a reason they are doing that. Who are we to talk about other teams? I must talk about my team. The last two years, when we have gone to Orlando we have not come worse off.”

After the visit to Orlando, where Eric Tinkler will once again tinker with his line-up because captain Thaba Matlaba is suspended, Sundowns will shift gears and prepare for their trip to Bulawayo to face Chicken Inn in theChampions League on Saturday.

“The funny part, after the game on Saturday in the Champions League, is that we have seven days to play Golden Arrows,” Mosimane said. “What does that mean? It means we could have played this game (against Pirates) after the Champions League. South African teams need to be supported when they play in the Champions League.

“If you look at other countries, internally, they support their clubs. We haven’t arrived to that scenario where we have to look after ourselves. It’s not only about us. (Kaizer) Chiefs are playing in the Champions League but they are playing (today). It’s the same with (Bidvest) Wits. I don’t think that it should be like that. If you remember in January we played four games in one month. Couldn’t we have played some of the games (we have played this month) then? Now it gets a bit overloaded and people will start complaining South African teams don’t take the continent serious. But are we doing enough to support those teams?”

The Best XI the Golden Generation

John Tlale, Michael Manzini, Themba Mnguni, Lovers Mohlala, Isaac Shai, Bennett Mnguni, Roger Feutmba, Alex Bapela, Joel ‘Fire’ Masilela, Daniel Mudau and Raphael Chukwu

Sundowns Most Consistent XI This Season

Dennis Onyango, Thabo Nthethe, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Tebogo Langerman, Asavela Mbekile, Hlompho Kekana, Bongani Zungu, Teko Modise, Khama Billiat, Keagan Dolly and Lenardo Castro - The Star

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