Cape Town – Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane admits that it may take some time until his side start firing on all cylinders.
Despite adding a host of big-name signings to an already star-studded Brazilians squad, Downs have made a poor start to the season, losing to Platinum Stars in the MTN8, while taking only one point from their opening two league encounters.
A 1-0 loss to a young Ajax Cape Town on Wednesday night has not helped Mosimane's cause, the former Bafana Bafana coach already having incurred the wrath of his own supporters after a 1-1 draw with Maritzburg United over the weekend.
Had Sundowns been more clinical in front of goal against the Urban Warriors, they could have taken a point from the match, but instead, Mosimane was left ruing missed opportunities.
“We tried to attack, but we missed so many chances, its not funny sometimes. I saw Pirates miss so many chances last week, now it was my turn,” Mosimane said afterwards.
“The quality and the decision-making in the last third, the decision to choose the right technique in the final third let us down. It's tough times we are going through, its not nice, but it's the life of a coach.
“My job is to motivate the players to come back.”
Sundowns have the biggest squad in the league, with more than 30 registered players, but Mosimane admits numbers mean little.
“When we went on an 11 game unbeaten run last season, I used only one team, I never changed the team.
“We have got a few new guys that still need to gel, it takes time. But in football there is nothing like waiting for time, football is now.
“It's about the combinations though, its not that we don't have enough players. You lose two games and you draw one, it's easy to put the knife in because its tough times for us.”
Ajax coach Roger De Sa, meanwhile, was pleased to see his side picking up their first win of the season, giving them four points from two matches, although he admits the Cape side were not necessarily the better team on the night.
“We had some good chances in the first half, five decent opportunities, but their goalkeeper didn't make a save, we've got to hit the target. The first shot on target (from captain Travis Graham on 50 minutes) we scored, and from then on we rode our luck at times, its going to happen when you play a team like Sundowns.”
The former Wits mentor said he was encouraged by his youngsters.
“When you've got a centre-back pairing of 19 and 17, mistakes are going to be made.
“The captain is 20, I couldn't be happier with the performance and the result.
“It was gutsy, which we need to keep in our game.” – Sapa