Outspoken TS Galaxy coach Sead Ramovic has aimed another jibe at Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena, claiming that “If he can’t have a plan B, that speaks to his quality” as a tactician.
In the same vein, Ramovic claimed that Mokwena used inflammatory language during a private phone conversation.
Ramovic’s recent remarks follow Mokwena’s earlier acknowledgement of contacting him by phone. However, the Sundowns coach declined to share details of the conversation, reiterating his preference for keeping private exchanges confidential.
While addressing the media on Thursday ahead of Galaxy’s Nedbank Cup Last 32 clash with Golden Arrows on Friday, Ramovic expressed strong emotions regarding the ongoing situation with Mokwena.
The verbal fight between the two coaches stemmed from Mokwena attributing Sundowns’ loss to Galaxy in the Carling Knockout Cup in October 2023 to missing Bafana Bafana players, a statement Ramovic interpreted as undermining his men’s performance.
As the public disagreement between coaches intensifies, Ramovic, who didn’t pull any punches, said: “I didn’t come to South Africa to argue with anyone.
SEAD RAMOVIC FIRES SHOTS AT RULANI MOKWENA
“I didn’t come here with the goal of fighting with anyone or making headlines. I came here to ensure that my team improves and that maybe one day if I leave the club and a new coach comes in, he has more success; this is my goal.
“We should all know they are spending over R150 million over the last two seasons for players, so it means they have a squad with just unbelievable quality.
“And if a coach loses against us with players we brought from NFD, players from U21, and when they see that TS Galaxy does not have this financial power, we have to find ways how we can succeed, and I think that we do a very good job.
“But If I see my players every day and how hard they work, I will always protect [them], I will always raise my voice if somebody doesn’t matter who it is; disrespects my players, disrespect the value of this club, my staff, of me, and this is what he did.
“He [Mokwena] came with that cheap excuse that he didn’t play his seven [Bafana] players. So it means that he disrespected first of all his own players that played, and when you see which players he had on the field against us, top class. With this team, he can also win a league.
“But if he feels that he cannot have a plan B, it also speaks to his quality, but I don’t want to go there, but I also don’t care. I care that we have principles, I have values, and I care about my players, and no one will disrespect the hard work they did on this day to win against Sundowns.”
‘I TOLD HIM I DON’T CARE WHO YOUR PARENTS ARE’
In addition, Ramovic has accused Mokwena of making an inappropriate phone call and using offensive language during their conversation.
And in contrast to Mokwena’s preference for privacy regarding their phone call, Ramovic provided his version of the conversation.
The German tactician said: “What happened is that I got a call from him during the bus drive to Mbombela. I pick up the phone, and he started to yell, to scream. He told me ‘I will just make it short’ because he spoke to me for 10 minutes with a lot of nonsense.
“But what he told [me] it was, ‘Who the f*ck are you to come to my f*cking country and talk to me like this?’ I just quote him. ‘Do you know who my parents are? Be careful how you talk because you are in my f*cking country’.
“After that, I told him that I don’t care who your parents are, and then he hung up the phone. This was his high standard of morale. I was very disappointed. I can tell you because I think to get treated by a colleague like this is a very, small-minded talk.
“But I’d like to clarify now: Sundowns is a beautiful club with a high standard of morale, and the players are also top. It’s just a case of his behaviour and me now. Again, I have principles, and I have values, and I stick to them.”
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