/ 30 August 2018

Pitso: Of course we miss Castro and Billiat

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane. (Gallo)

Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has admitted he’s struggled to get his attack firing at full capacity, but has no regrets over players that have left the club.

The Brazilians have failed to find the back of the net in their last four games, a run that has cost them a spot in the CAF Champions League knockout round and given them a one goal deficit going into the MTN8 semi-final second leg.

Addressing the media on Thursday ahead of that clash against Cape Town City at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Mosimane was open about the failings but also spoke pragmatically when asked if he regrets losing Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro.

“We have to score, and we haven’t been looking good in terms of the chances we create,” he said.

“Obviously, I am jealous when I see them combining well and scoring goals. That’s a cut and paste story really. I’ve worked hard on that combination in three or four years and all that is coming is exactly what used to happen before.”

The exciting link-up of Billiat and Castro has been one of the only highlights from a frustrating start to the season by Kaizer Chiefs who are yet to win in the league. At Sundowns, they formed two-thirds of the dangerous CBD triumvirate – Castro, Billiat and Keagan Dolly.

“In reality you have to move on,” Mosimane continued. “You can never cry about Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole’s combination at Man United. It’s done. We move on. It’s the beauty of football that everything comes to an end.

“I have to start a new combination. Ja, it’s not easy, you can see I’m struggling to get it right. But with time I will. What’s important is you create the chances and that’s what we’re doing. We have challenges, we don’t hide it, you can see them.”

Not helping the goals for column has been Jeremy Brockie’s failure to score since he signed from SuperSport United in January. Mosimane said he’s unconcerned by such a statistic, however, claiming Sundowns has never been a team to rely on one player up front; only last season did the high-scoring PSL-champions finish with the league’s individual top scorer among their ranks, Percy Tau managing that feat with a paltry 11 goals.

Masandawana fans will hope Mosimane has got his new combination right come Sunday — if not they’ll watch their team walk out of a second competition in a week.