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| When will the Sun top going Down: Johan Neeskens |
If there’s one thing Mamelodi’s long-suffering fans deserve,
it’s an explanation of the deepening gloom at Sundowns.
On Saturday at the Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe Stadium in
Atteridgeville, the most expensively assembled squad in the country slumped to
yet another PSL defeat, this time a limp-wristed 1-0 surrender against Platinum
Stars.
To their credit, after the attack on Johan Neeskens following
the defeat at Moroka Swallows a week before, the fans took this one on the
chin. Heavy security, one arrest and creeping fatalism appear to have calmed
the Msandawana fans, once proud to follow South Africa’s answer to Brazil.
But they deserve an explanation for a run of eight games
without a win since the streaky 1-0 victory over promoted Chippa United when
they kicked off their PSL season on August 11.
In six league games since then, a strike force which includes
some of the most expensive stars in the country has produced just two goals and
a single point. They haven’t scored in 360 minutes of PSL action in a slide which
sees only AmaZulu below the Brazilians in the table.
In the midst of all this, I met two men who know the inside
story at Sundowns at a coffee shop not far from their Chloorkop training venue
last week.
Though both could be considered to have their own agenda,
the lurid tales of life under billionaire Patrice Motsepe made for a fascinating
morning. Bank cards with R53million credit being used to buy drinks, Johan
Cruyff’s academy being paid an annual R1million and meetings lasting deep in to
the night, not all of them involving the unfortunate Neeskens.
Most worrying off all was the repeated claim that a “gang of
former players and hangers-on” are constantly chipping away at the Dutch legend’s
authority, talking to players behind his back, railing against a man who likes
to be driven in the back seat by members of his highly-paid technical staff.
Two characters at the club like to involve themselves heavily
in the transfer of players and the signing of contracts. They apparently feel
foreign coaches don’t have a proper grip on their beloved club and believe
Motsepe’s largesse should come their way rather disappearing off into a
European bank account.
There were suggestions that a third man – a member of the
Sundowns board with something of a track record – actually encourages fans to
cause unrest and knows the individual who attacked Neeskens at Dobsonville.
I have names, but I won’t divulge them. Clearly such tales
are nonsense, the fanciful imaginings of men with axes to grind. Possibly.
What can be said is this. General manager Kenneth Makhana has
not be a great success, I have many twitterers calling for the return of his
popular predecessor Natasha Tsichlas. The ever-growing technical team appear to
be following their own agenda. The 30-strong squad is top heavy and
over-burdened with midfielders and strikers.
Up front, Neeskens found himself greeted by a galaxy of
stars after Trott Moloto’s busy off-season: somehow he managed to add the
sought-after Edward Manqele and Eleazar Rodgers to a strike force which already
included Emmanuel Baffour; Richard Tebogo Henyekane, Anthony Laffor, th nearly
forgotten Kaltlego “Killer” Mphela and Nyasha Mushekwi, the Zimbabwean cup
specialist who was denied a move to Furthe in the German Bundesliga.
Juggling with so many expensive acquisitions cannot have
been easy for Neeskens, a man who has spent most of his career working as a No2
in highly-organised, cohesive structures.
There can be no question Neeskens has lost the dressing
room. With Elias Pelembe given the weekend off for personal reasons at
Atteridgeville on Saturday, Teko Modise looks to have lost the spark again,
chances were missed, an acceptance of inferiority is creeping in.
And of course, Motsepe – a mining magnate with R23billion to
play with – has problems underground of late. When he talks strikers, it has
little to do with football these days.
He did find time to back Neeskens over the weekend. Before a
“normal” meeting with the players, he announced: “Johan is a great coach. We’ve
made it clear we believe in him, we support him.”
With the fans chanting for former Bafana boss Pitso Mosimane’s
return, Motsepe added: “Our supporters must be educated. You win, lose or draw,
you go through ups and downs. Those who threaten violence must not be allowed
to enter our stadiums.”
So Neeskens is not under threat. And he’s not about to
resign, despite the sharpening of vuvuzelas among some elements at the club. So
there you are Sundowns fans, you have your explanation. But sadly, no solution.
Mamelodi Sundowns results this season:
|
06
Oct 2012
|
PSL
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
0–1
|
Platinum Stars
|
Lucas Moripe Stadium
|
|
|
30
Sep 2012
|
PSL
|
Moroka Swallows
|
2–0
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
Volkswagen Dobsonville Stadium
|
|
|
26
Sep 2012
|
PSL
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
0–0
|
SuperSport United
|
Lucas Moripe Stadium
|
|
|
15
Sep 2012
|
PSL
|
Golden Arrows
|
1–0
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
Moses Mabhida Stadium
|
|
|
02
Sep 2012
|
PSL
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
1–2
|
Maritzburg Utd
|
Lucas Moripe Stadium
|
|
|
26
Aug 2012
|
MTN8
|
Moroka Swallows
|
3–2
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
Volkswagen Dobsonville Stadium
|
|
|
22
Aug 2012
|
PSL
|
Kaizer Chiefs
|
2–1
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
Soccer City Complex
|
|
|
18
Aug 2012
|
MTN8
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
3–3
|
Moroka Swallows
|
Lucas Moripe Stadium
|
|
|
11
Aug 2012
|
PSL
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
1–0
|
Chippa United
|
Lucas Moripe Stadium
|
|
|
05
Aug 2012
|
MTN8
|
Mamelodi Sundowns
|
4–1
|
Kaizer Chiefs
|
Loftus Stadium
|
