Missing MTN8 doesn’t faze Pitso

Among those pieces of silverware are Pitso Mosimane’s three Absa Premiership titles, a Telkom Knockout Cup, Nedbank Cup, the Caf Champions League and the Super Cup. There is one, however, that has eluded Mosimane in his trophy-laden stay at Downs which began in 2012 – the MTN8 trophy.

He is not particularly keen to win Wafa Wafa, which he won at SuperSport United 14 years ago.

“I would say it is a bragging rights box you want to tick. Is it crucial? No. I think it is something that makes statistics and for me it is not really that important. I remember in 1920 I won it at SuperSport while still a rookie,” he said jokingly. He actually won it in 2004.

The one thing that could convince Mosimane and his Sundowns side to prioritise the MTN8 – as they face Golden Arrows in the quarterfinals tomorrow afternoon – is the financial incentive that comes with the bragging rights.

“If you look at the value of the MTN8, you play four games and you get R8 million. For me, that makes financial sense. I am not trying to sound like a guy who causes problems, but it is a fact and you know I am right … and why should you play 30 games to get R30 million? Probably the league will go to R30 million one of these days because it has been on R10 million for so long,” he said.

The former Bafana Bafana coach continued: “Maybe the best way is to win the MTN8. But for us it is the opposite, we have to win the league so we can go to the Champions League and it is also prestige to say over 30 games in different seasons, different weather, home and away and when you win it, that’s what makes the league credible.

“That is why it is important to win the league but financially it is important to win the MTN8 because the boys need the money for their families and bragging rights for our supporters.”