JOHANNESBURG – Jomo Cosmos have an impeccable record in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) promotional play-offs, but Jomo Sono - owner and the coach of the club - doesn’t want to pay to much attention to statistics.
“It is not the same players. You can’t compare different eras. This is a different generation. History doesn’t play football,” Sono explained.
Cosmos have always won the play-offs whenever they have been involved in the three-team mini-league tournament to decide which team from the two National First Division (NFD) sides that finished second and third and the Absa Premiership one that ended bottom last get to play in the elite league the next season.
Ezenkosi were triumphant in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
They have qualified for the play-offs once again this year after finishing third in the NFD behind league runners up Black Leopards who will also contest the play-offs along with the team that finishes 15th in the Absa Premiership.
The identity of the PSL club will be known after Saturday's final league matches, with all of Polokwane City, Baroka FC, SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town in danger of going into the round-robin competition to retain their elite league spot.
While he is making nothing of his team's previous showing, Sono says his current squad is ready for the play-offs, the fact that they go into them on the back of a 3-0 drubbing by Leopards, a result that saw them usurped in second spot.
Jomo Sono, coach of Jomo Cosmos, has never lost a promotional play-off. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
“All the teams that will be competing in the play-offs will be under pressure. We will try and give our best by fighting as hard as we can. We have to go out there and try to win and qualify (to play in top flight),” Sono elaborated.
“We will watch all the games of the teams that we might face in the play-offs. We don’t have any preference.
“The only teams I’m afraid of are Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates,” Sono laughed out loud.
Cosmos came back strong in the second half of the season after losing the duo of Mxolisi Macupu and Linda Mntambo, both of whom joined Chippa United.
“Everything is about team effort. We have players who want to play for the club. If you want to play for the crowd you must go to the township and do your tricks. Team effort has been key.” The play-offs start on Wednesday.