Ex-Pirates coach De Sa points to Sundowns’ potential pitfalls in title race
Former Orlando Pirates coach Roger de Sa has cast doubt on Mamelodi Sundowns’ ability to defend their Betway Premiership title, citing a potential factor that could disrupt the Brazilians’ dominance.
Sundowns, the reigning seven-time Premiership champions, have faced questions about their ability to maintain their dominance. Last season, the Brazilians cruised to the title with a 23-point lead over Pirates, boasting an impressive 22 wins, seven draws, and just one loss.
While they fell short of an undefeated season, losing to Cape Town City FC in the final league match, Sundowns also secured the inaugural African Football League [AFL] title. However, defeats in the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup finals to Pirates raised concerns about their overall performance.
The departure of former head coach Rulani Mokwena in the off-season has further fueled speculation about Sundowns’ potential struggles. Many fans and pundits are wondering if the team can continue their winning ways without Mokwena at the helm.
Sundowns have encountered a bumpy start to the 2024/25 season following Mokwena’s departure to Wydad AC and Manqoba Mngqithi’s appointment as head coach. The Brazilians were eliminated from the MTN8 semi-finals by Stellenbosch FC, while their rivals, Pirates, claimed the Top 8 title.
Despite the setback in the cup competition, Sundowns have made positive starts in the league, winning their first three matches. Sundowns currently sit atop the log, narrowly edging out Pirates on goal difference.
ROGER DE SA ADMITS THAT PIRATES CLOSED THE GAP ON SUNDOWNS
Meanwhile, De Sa says Sundowns will find it difficult to win the league because Pirates has closed the gap.
The ex-Bucs coach says his former club has assembled a strong squad and has a good coach [Jose Riveiro] to challenge the defending champions for league honours.
“Obviously, over the past few years, Sundowns have dominated the league, and I think other teams were just too behind to challenge Sundowns,” De Sa told FARPost. “So this season, I think Sundowns will not have it easy; even if they win the league, I don’t think they’ll win it with the 23-point gap.
“Pirates will give it a fight because they assembled a good squad for the past two seasons, and they also have a good coach. This is going to be one of the challenging seasons for Sundowns. Also, I think that the departure [of coach Mokwena] can be positive or negative; only time will tell if the departure was good or bad.
“When the club changes leadership, some players want to prove themselves and produce good performances, and sometimes the changes disrupt the team. So we’ll have to wait and see.”
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