The master of mind games is at it again. Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane tipped Kaizer Chiefs to win the Absa Premiership, describing them as a “well rested” team with no MTN8 and continental commitments.
Mosimane said this at Thohoyandou Stadium, after he stirred the hornet’s nest by saying in the TV post-match interview that he would also like to get a penalty, just like Chiefs who have been benefiting from poor officiating and got a penalty in their last game. Sundowns had a clear penalty call dismissed in their 2-1 win over Black Leopards on Wednesday. Mosimane’s statement was calculated.
Chiefs’ next game, on October 27, is against Sundowns. Amakhosi are eight points ahead of Sundowns and sit pretty at the summit after eight games. But the Brazilians have three games in hand.
“Kaizer Chiefs is doing very well, they are doing their business quietly,” Mosimane said. “They are getting on top, they fight a lot. It should be expected. When I came to Sundowns in December, we finished No. 10. That’s where Chiefs finished last season. (Chiefs finished ninth). When you don’t have top eight, you don’t have CAF and you are a big team like Chiefs, you have pride and integrity for the badge. It’s a normal reaction for them to come out like this. I mean, how far low can they go? They have hit it and they are coming back. They are strong.”
He continued, “I call them a well rested team. They should be able to compete for the league because they play on Saturday, the next Saturday and then the next Saturday. They’ve got the energy and the time to fix their problems at training. Sorry, we have to play every three days. So, they are the favourites to win the league. I said the same thing about (Bidvest) Wits last year, they also didn’t have anything to do. For me they were the favourites.”
A day before Sundowns took on Leopards, the club’s former player Percy Tau played Uefa Champions League football at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid for Club Brugge.
“I was a little bit emotional with Percy, when I saw him walk out of the tunnel at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium because that was his dream,” Mosimane said. “When the boy who comes from your family enters Bernabeu, to play against Real Madrid, you become emotional. Playing against Sergio Ramos and (Raphael) Varane. Every time, I show them clips that this is what Real Madrid does, he is living the dream now. We are proud of him, we are proud that we have contributed towards his talent. We didn’t make him to be talented. He comes from our youth structures. He took his chance.”
Mosimane continued, “When you play the (CAF) Champions League and the Fifa Club World Cup, this is what happens. This is what happened to Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly. I hope that it serves as an inspiration to the younger ones in the team to believe that it is possible. You can play against Ramos and assist on a goal in the Uefa Champions League.”