Mamelodi Sundowns’ iconic former captain Hlompho Kekana has said the team will need to channel and fine-tune their emotions against MC Alger in the CAF Champions League Group C decider.
The 2016 CAF Champions League holders host Rulani Mokwena’s MC Alger at the Loftus Versfeld at 15:00.
A quarterfinal ticket is on the line. Sundowns sit third on six points in the four-team group, two behind leaders Al-Hilal, while MC Alger arrive in second with seven. For Kabo Yellow, it’s simple: win or crash out in the group stages.
Kekana believes this is the moment that will define the team’s character. With pressure mounting and critics circling, the former captain says the players must channel their frustration and fear into something powerful rather than letting it consume them.
HLOMPHO KEKANA: THAT’S WHERE THE ANGER COMES IN
The legend challenged the squad to respond with leadership, courage and the right kind of anger, the kind that pushes a team to deliver when it matters most.
“Sometimes when you are a team, you use that anger in the right way,” Kekana said on The Pitchside podcast. “And the anger is, I know I’m better than what I’m giving you at the moment, but am I going to be angry and make sure that I deliver even when I feel like I’m scared?
“That’s where the anger comes in, to say, I’ll deliver what I’m requested to deliver. Regardless of how I’m feeling, whether I’m scared or whether I feel like I don’t want to spoil this. Because when you are not comfortable in the space, like now, I don’t think the boys are free.
“Really, it’s because of the pressure, because everybody is against them and is watching them. And now it requires that this period will really, really define the team.
“Truly, it will really, really define the characters and will really define the leadership, you know, in this space. And once those two are defined, once those characters are defined, then you get a team that can compete in every space.
“So now that team needs to say we don’t want to see this space ever again. And by all means, we need to avoid seeing ourselves on the edge. Being on the edge is not nice. It’s not nice, because you’re going to neglect some of the important things. You’re not enjoying this thing. And you [points at Teko Modise] used to say, listen, enjoy, let’s enjoy playing for Sundowns,” Kekana concluded.
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