Modise sets sights on cup glory

Gallo Images

Nhlanhla Vilakazi of Golden Arrows and Teko Modise of Sundowns pose with the Nedbank Cup trophy.

Johannesburg – Teko Modise has refuted suggestions he could be leaving Mamelodi Sundowns at the end of this season, adding that he is in negotiations with the Brazilians to take his contract beyond the 2013/14 campaign.

Modise revealed that Sundowns took up an option last season to extend his contract to 2014, contrary to talk that his contract expires at the end of the current season.

“My contract with Sundowns ends next season, I don’t know what people say it ends this season,” said the midfield general.

“We are still negotiating what will happen after that season, so for now I am still safe,” added the 30-year-old.

Sundowns were drawn to face Golden Arrows at home in Thursday’s Nedbank Cup last 16 draw, and Modise revealed this is a competition the success-starved Brazilians are targeting.

“This is one we want to win, the coach (Pitso Mosimane) has said he wants to win this cup no matter what,” said Modise.

“The only thing we can do now is concentrate on our finishing. We have not scored as many goals as we used to. I just hope on the day against Arrows we score as many as we can.”

Modise praised Mosimane for the confidence he has instilled in the squad since he replaced Johan Neeskens in December.

“If you can check, we still have the same personnel, he (Pitso) has brought in more self belief, you can see in the way we play. I hope we will continue playing as a team and hopefully win the cup.”

The fairy-tale tie of the round, meanwhile, is undoubtedly the visit of First Division side Polokwane City to Absa Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs.

The First Division side from the Limpopo province have endured a tragic campaign, four of their players killed in a bus crash on November 11.

Given time by the league to recuperate, City only got back in action on February 13, with a new coach in former Free State Stars striker Duncan Lechesa.

Lechesa’s outfit beat FC AK 2-0 in the first round of the Nedbank Cup, and last weekend hammered Safa league outfit Island FC 7-2 in Ulundi, to book a date with Chiefs.

Now they will hope to emulate the likes of Maluti FET College, United FC and Thembu Royals, who all took down Absa Premiership opposition in the last 32.

“The so-called big teams, when they come and play against so-called smaller teams, think everything is done on the bus and in the change room,” said the confident Polokwane City goalkeeper, the former Buccaneer, Makweni Mayala.

“They don’t want to put in the effort and when they get on the field the so-called smaller teams want to prove a point, they are hungry for success. There might also be a surprise (against Chiefs), let’s wait and see.”

Chiefs, meanwhile, have already experienced Nedbank Cup embarrassment against lower-league opposition, defeated by the University of Pretoria in 2009, FC Cape Town in 2010 and Baroka FC in 2011.

“We have experienced that kind of disappointment,” said Itumeleng Khune on the Baroka FC defeat.

“But this is 2013 and we have a different squad, hungrier players.

“It will be a different ball game, but we can’t afford to underestimate Polokwane City, or they might surprise us. We have a job at hand to get to the next round. We know that when teams come to FNB Stadium, they don’t just walk out victorious.”

The reward for Orlando Pirates’ Nedbank Cup conquerors, Safa league side Maluti FET College, is a Free State derby at First Division outfit African Warriors.

An all-Absa Premiership Free State derby, meanwhile, sees Free State Stars host Bloemfontein Celtic.

last 16 draw

Black Leopards v Platinum Stars, Free State Stars v Bloemfontein Celtic, Mamelodi Sundowns v Golden Arrows, Vasco da Gama v SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs v Polokwane City, Tembu Royals v Maritzburg United, Jomo Cosmos v United FC, African Warriors v Maluti FET College – The Star