Downs in dumps

The sky used to be the limit for Sundowns, but of lately the sun seems to be setting on the former three-time league champions. Sundowns find themselves in a precarious position this season, 12th on the log and uncomfortably close to the relegation battle. 

The Brazilians are just a shadow of their former selves and their football is no longer as fluid or creative as before. A top-eight finish is again looking unlikely for the Pretoria-based side unless players, coaches and administrators wake up to the reality that success is not bought but earned.

The side of the late 1990s has been dismantled, with many of the players having being sold or being too old to play, and the lack of a succession plan is painfully obvious.

Mining magnate Patrice Motsepe, now president of the club, has attended many Sundowns games this season but it was only after the appointment of Paul Dolezar — that resulted in a win against Jomo Cosmos — that he stopped looking glum.

This Sunday’s Absa Cup clash would be a good opportunity for both players and coach to give the man a reason to smile once again.

Dolezar has had to begin building a new team, one that is capable of at least rising to the top eight and hopefully even winning their first silverware after a long drought.

The Brazilians will be motivated by revenge to beat Kaizer Chiefs at Odi stadium. Chiefs have been a bugbear to Sundowns, twice beating them in a cup final (Rothmans cup). Their most recent setback was a 2-0 loss to Chiefs in a league match at the start of this season. 

Both teams have exceptional players who can win them the game on Sunday. The result will depend on the tactics of two astute coaches: Dolezar of Sundowns and Ted Dumitru of Chiefs.

The middle of the field is where the battle will be won or lost, with Chiefs depending on Jabu Pule, Tinashe Nengomasha, Stanton Fredericks, and Jabulani Mendu.  On the Sundowns side, Dolezar can call on Godfrey Sapula, Clement Mazibuko, Sipho Nunens and Manqoba ‘Shakes” Ngwenya.

Dolezar pronounced on radio a few days before the Absa draw that he would win the tournament. He had no idea who his opponents would be in the first round.

For whichever club wins on Sunday, victory will have a profound effect. A Sundowns victory could ignite them to perform well in the league, while a Chiefs win would result in them having to fight on two fronts — one for the tournament silverwarem the other the league title, which they have not picked up for 12 years now.