Sundowns banking on new recruits to help them claim second star

Mamelodi Sundowns coaches have always made it clear that when they make signings, they are not necessarily bolstering the squad for the DStv Premiership or any local tournament, but their focus is to improve the team for the Caf Champions League.

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The Premiership has been a walk in the park for Sundowns, having won it four times on the spin and are in pole position to defend their crown again.

New recruits like Teboho Mokoena, Erwin Saavedra and Bradley Ralani have all been registered for the Champions League which they kick-off this Friday at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

“We are looking at our competitors in the Champions League and we are trying the best we can to get the team to that level and make sure we are at the stage where we compete at the same level and with one mentality, which is to win the Champions League. In all the previous seasons, our plan was always to win it and that is why we are fighting to be in the Champions League every year and our signings have always been influenced by wanting to get better than what we were the previous year and we are hoping that we will get there,” said Mngqithi.

With all the resources and recruits at Sundowns in recent years, Masandawana have not been able to repeat the feat of 2016 where they claimed the continental crown under former coach Pitso Mosimane, who has since gone on to clinch two Champions League titles with Al-Ahly.

Mngqithi, however, refuses to see that as a failure should Sundowns fail to win it this season,.  

“I will not regard not winning the Champions League as a failure but it is something that I would not want to experience. I would love to see Sundowns winning the title, the players, the chairman, the board and everyone is gunning for it. We understand what is at stake and we also know that it is a long road and we have to try and thread carefully,” he said.

Sundowns have been forced to play Al-Hilal in Rustenburg instead of their usual venues in Pretoria, Mngqithi explains why: “Playing in Rustenburg is a result of our stadiums not making it in terms of the evaluations that Caf made. It is a little bit steef compared to previous seasons but we believe it will help the competition because if our stadiums which we believe are so good, but couldn’t make it, one is looking forward to seeing what is going to happen in the away stadiums we will be playing in.”