‘The coach who loses and smiles will be sacked’
THE outspoken Mamelodi Sundowns’ coach, Pitso Mosimane, vowed to continue speaking his mind if he feels his team is being “short-changed”.
Mosimane and the Brazilians are currently waging a war-of-words with the Premier Soccer League in relation to the sentencing of the side for fielding a defaulter against Wits last October.
Sundowns’ erroneously fielded Wayne Arendse against the Clever Boys after Thapelo Morena was injured during the warm-up. Arendse was in the stands and not in the provisional team sheet, and the rules say any changes in the starting XI after the provisional team sheet has been sent must come from those on the team sheet, while changes from the stands are allowed, but only to start on the bench.
Sundowns were found guilty on the matter but sentencing has dragged on due to their busy schedule, which has led to Mosimane being critical of the PSL’s disciplinary committee.
‘Jingles’ went as far as saying that the “league must go to where it’s supposed to go”, insinuating that there is a conspiracy against his team. The PSL hit out at those insinuations, releasing a statement on “certain regrettable comments”.
“I am myself,” Mosimane said. “If I feel that I am short-changed, I don’t like it. When I lose to SuperSport (United), I am okay. There is no problem. I put all my hard work into this thing, I work very hard and I prepare the team well, so when I feel that the work we have put is taken out of me – I become a different person. I don’t have a problem with losing.”
Mosimane continued, “Some people say that I am a bad loser. I have never seen a good loser. The coach who loses and smiles will be sacked. Yes, I take it hard. I don’t like losing.
“Maybe I should be modest and all that, but I don’t have that character. When I lose, I am not happy and when I feel that I am short-changed, I say what I have to say. It’s not right sometimes, but so be it. I am a football coach. What am I going to do?”
Sundowns have an opportunity to catch up with Orlando Pirates this afternoon when they take on Chippa United at Loftus Versfeld. This match kicks off at 3pm, because Sundowns have to fly to Morocco afterwards for the first leg clash with Wydad Casablanca in the semifinal of the CAF Champions League on Friday. Sundowns can’t afford to be distracted against the Chilli Boys, who have troubled the Brazilians in the past.
“They are a difficult team for us to beat,” Mosimane said. “But a league game is completely different from a cup game. Just put a cup, yeses – they come out. South African teams like these small cups. It’s okay because I used to play for them at SuperSport United. You want the league, where are you going to get it (at SuperSport at that time)? It’s okay for them to fight hard for the cups.
“I understand that emotion. But the league and the Champions League are different, those are competitions played over 30 games. That’s where your true character comes out. That’s where you judge a team. But a cup is different. You play four games and you are in the final.”