Former Orlando Pirates winger Daine Klate has shared his thoughts on why the Buccaneers struggle to catch Mamelodi Sundowns in the league.
The Brazilians, again, asserted their unparalleled dominance, securing their eighth consecutive league title and lifting their new-look Betway Premiership trophy most recently.
At one point in the just-ended season, the league title appeared to be an interesting two-horse race, with the Buccaneers mounting a serious challenge to Masandawana’s dominance. However, they ultimately fell short along the way, finishing in second place for the third consecutive season.
The Tshwane giants won the league with 73 points after 28 games, while the Sea Robbers accumulated 61 points from the same number of matches.
Klate says what sets Sundowns apart from their rivals is their exceptional recruitment strategy. He stated they don’t simply sign players “just because they are doing well in their teams,” but rather, they profile each player thoroughly before securing their services, ensuring a perfect fit for the club.
He feels the reason the Buccaneers can’t catch Masandawana is their constant failure to hit the 70-point mark, a new standard set by Sundowns in recent seasons.
KLATE ON PIRATES’ DIFFICULTY TO CATCH SUNDOWNS
“Pitso [Mosimane] left Sundowns in a good space and whoever came in after that, enhanced it,” said Klate on SoccerBeat podcast.
“The players that they bring in, they’ve got a clear profile of a player they want, in what position they want. They don’t just go out and sign whoever is in the market.
“They don’t sign a player because for another team, they sign that player because they want him to come and compete with whoever they have. That brings about the competition, that’s been the key to Sundowns’ success; it’s the competition within the group and the way the club operate.
“Sundowns have really dominated, and it’s difficult for Pirates to catch up, and I’m happy to see the progress they have made.
“They came close this year, they can go back next year and look at where they went wrong this season and which games they were supposed to win and which games kept them close to Sundowns.
“The most important thing is to come close to Sundowns, don’t even think of overtaking Sundowns for now.
“You know they are on 72 points, we played for 60-something points and won the league. This is how we used to win the league back in the days.
“Sundowns have upped the standard to 70-point mark. Extra ten points is needed to compete with Sundowns.”
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