/ 28 November 2013

Sundowns set sights on toasting success with Santa

The Mamelodi Sundowns squad is deep in talent
The Mamelodi Sundowns squad is deep in talent

Mamelodi Sundowns return to action on Sunday after a lengthy hiatus caused by cup fixtures and last week's international break. And their meeting with fellow frontrunners Moroka Swallows at Loftus Versfeld should offer not only a chance to rid themselves of rustiness but also provide strong evidence of their ability to be firmly in charge of the league race come Christmas.

Sundowns sit comfortably atop the standings despite last playing three weeks ago, and have games in hand over their closest rivals.

Three wins from their past four league games, and a talent-laden squad without too many serious injuries, suggests they are poised to take clear charge by the time the mid-season break is upon us.

Psychologically it could precipitate a runaway accession to the title, in the same way Sundowns marked their previous league success in 2007 when they had the championship sewn up months before the campaign had run its course.

Since then, billionaire owner Patrice Motsepe has pumped a conservatively estimated R100-million into the acquisition of players and coaches, without any success. This means that each year the pressure is ratcheted up on the squad and the incumbent at the helm of the team.

Sundowns have looked haunted at times during the past seven years of drought and these days have developed almost a siege mentality – an "us against the world" attitude.

But regardless of how they have fuelled their motivation, they have emerged as the team to beat this season.

Their squad is deep in talent, thanks to Motsepe's deep pockets: there are three classy players for each position, just as coach Pitso Mosimane wants it. Such a reservoir is the envy of the rest of the Premier Soccer League and the team will come into its own in the second half of the season, from late January to mid-May, when the injuries, suspensions and fatigue begin to bite.

For Sundowns, who have had the odd setback themselves, there is the advantage of a sea of inconsistency, perhaps even mediocrity, swirling around them.

Champions Kaizer Chiefs, who Sundowns play on December 10, have misplaced the fiery edge of last season and other significant spenders such as Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United have not lived up to expectations.

Moroka Swallows and Platinum Stars might be having a purple patch, but do not have the depth in selection to keep it going. We learnt this early in the year.

And then there is Orlando Pirates, who SuperSport coach Cavin John­son last weekend claimed were patently the best side around. They face a mammoth catch-up after all the postponements of the past months. Their pending programme looks so physically taxing it is near impossible to see how they can significantly make up the lost ground.

Pirates have played only four league games, including Wednes­day's 1-0 away triumph over Maritzburg United. They play on Saturday, but then there is another break in their schedule to allow for their participation in the Telkom Knockout final.

They might indeed be playing at a level above what we saw in the first four months of this PSL season, but those elevated performances were motivated by chasing the African Champions League, now completed. It spurred a quality of play Pirates are unlikely to replicate consistently in the humdrum of completing their league programme.

It means the coast is clear for Sundowns – if they are to push past Moroka Swallows and then Mpuma­langa Black Aces, Chiefs, SuperSport and Maritzburg before Santa Claus arrives in the south.

In the next few weeks, Mosimane will mark the end of his first year in charge at the club, having failed to fulfil a prediction when he took over from Johan Neeskens that he would lift the side from the bottom to a top-eight finish. In the end they were two places shy of the target.

But missing out on this season's MTN8 means they have been able to focus on the league. Similarly, early elimination from the Telkom Knockout might also prove a blessing in disguise as the other leading clubs deal with distractions.

Chiefs continue to prove inconsistent and a little slovenly, by their own coach's admission, and the expected challenge from Wits has not emerged, even after all their pre-season spending and the hiring of Gavin Hunt to launch their bid for a first-ever league title.

Chiefs are a victim of their own success, Stuart Baxter alleges. After years of failing to win the league, they lost their lustre and no longer commanded fear and respect. "Sides took us on and we were sharper and better and won," he said. "But this season that has changed. Now teams are better prepared and more cautious when they play us, making it much more difficult for us."

Wits were expected to emerge as a "fifth force" on a landscape previously dominated by Chiefs, Pirates, Sundowns and SuperSport. Wits believe they have been playing well, but there have been too many marginal decisions that have gone against them. There has been no evidence, however, that they are capable of making the step up just yet to make a serious challenge for a title, 35 years after they first won promotion to the top flight.