Durban — Defending DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns surprised the South African football fraternity when they announced an adjustment in technical team roles last week.
The Chloorkop-based club made changes in the technical team with Rulani Mokwena becoming a sole head coach with Steve Komphela the first team coach and Manqoba Mngqithi slots into the senior coach role.
One of the club's finest former players, Josta Dladla, spoke to IOL about the changes.
"That's just crazy for me honestly," he said.
"This team has been dominating the domestic game for about years now with the same coaches with Komphela joining them recently and then with just one game everything changes.
"The management of the club probably expects a whole lot more from them but as a sports person I know you can't win every game."
He then added that: "For a team that's consistently winning, it becomes difficult to deal with loss but for me there won't be any relative change because they have the same coaches around. Rulani (Mokwena) will probably do more of the talking if anything."
Sundowns supplemented their hog over the local game just last season when they dispatched Marumo Gallants in the Nedbank Cup final to complete a famous domestic treble under the stewardship of the 'three wise men'.
Kabo Yellow also retained their DStv Premiership crown, setting a new Premier Soccer League (PSL) clean sheet record of 13 consecutive matches, eclipsing the PSL record for consecutive clean sheets of 10 that was previously held by the Wits 2003/2004 team.
Dladla, who made 63 appearances between 2004 and 2009 for the Brazilians before joining Kaizer Chiefs, believes Sundowns’ biggest challenge will be on the coaches and how well they adapt to their new titles.
"It's up to them now (the coaches) to show that they can keep working together and not against each other and that's going to show a lot about them in terms of maturity and to prove that they're really together or not but for me, I was really surprised by the management's move."
The Brazilians head into the World Cup break on top of the league standings, leading second-placed Richards Bay FC by five points, having played a game less.
They are the highest-scoring team in the division and have also conceded the least goals, and will look to build on their early advantage as well as supplement their position in CAF competitions.
IOL Sport