Veteran PSL coach Dan ‘Dance’ Malesela has offered a candid assessment of the Betway Premiership title race and the current performances of South Africa’s ‘Big Three’: Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, and Kaizer Chiefs.
Malesela is currently unattached, having recently parted ways with Baroka FC in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. His release followed a period of suspension, after which the club appointed Tlisane Motaung as the new head coach.
From his playing for Sundowns and Pirates to his coaching career, Malesela has built a reputation for teams that play high-possession, attractive football.
His coaching journey took him from United FC to Sundowns youth, four separate spells at Chippa United, three at Marumo Gallants, and a historic Nedbank Cup triumph with TS Galaxy in 2019. Bold ideas and brave football have defined his career.
Now 59 and between jobs, Malesela has had an opportunity to observe the early 2025/26 Betway Premiership title race. Speaking on the Apex Sports International Podcast, he offered a clear-eyed view of the league this season.
The coach stated that Sundowns have slowed their tempo and aren’t creating as many opportunities as before.
Pirates, he feels, are playing too fast, while Sekhukhune United started brightly but are now losing momentum. Chiefs, meanwhile, have the talent, but Malesela stresses that a consistent starting line-up is key if they are to challenge for the title.
While Sundowns and Pirates have been dominating as expected, Chiefs have also drawn his interest. Malesela believes Amakhosi have the talent this season; what they need now is stability and a settled starting eleven.
MALESELA’S VERDICT: SUNDOWNS TOO SLOW, PIRATES TOO FAST, CHIEFS NEED STABILITY
Speaking on the podcast, Malesela declared: “Quite interesting,” he said of the title race. “Unlike the other seasons, where you’ll have one team already leading by a big margin. So now it’s quite tight, and that’s what football must be like.
“Look, to be honest, I don’t know what’s happening with Sundowns now. They’ve changed the beat somewhat. I don’t like fast games, but this is too slow. They don’t create as many opportunities as they used to.”
“Pirates…they have gone back to playing too fast. So you can never tell now. Sekhukhune…I wasn’t sure from the beginning, and now Sekhukhune United are slowing down.”
“Who else is there… Chiefs, my opinion is that Chiefs have got players. I don’t want to point a finger at who is not doing what. I just think they need to get a particular starting line-up. A stable eleven, and then they will know where they are going. They have quality. I think they have quality,” added Malesela.
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