Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have been backed to knock Mamelodi Sundowns off their perch as soon as next season.
Sundowns have been dominant in South African football, winning the last seven straight PSL titles, and are on course for an eighth on the bounce, given they enjoy a 12-point lead over second-placed Pirates, who have two games in hand.
However, former Chiefs defender Mokete Tsotetsi feels Miguel Cardoso’s team are benefiting from the strong foundations laid by legendary coach Pitso Mosimane but will soon start struggling, something that will give Chiefs and Pirates a chance to end their long wait for a league title.
Sundowns won’t rule forever, claims Tsotetsi
“Imagine a club winning their eighth league title in a row. In my opinion, that’s exactly what Sundowns have done. There’s currently a nine-point [12-point] difference. But that won’t last forever,” Tsotetsi told KickOff.
“Sundowns are still benefiting from the foundation built by their former coach, Pitso Mosimane. The new coach, Miguel Cardoso, is taking advantage of the work done by his predecessors. However, as he gradually tries to implement his own style, changes are inevitable.
“It’s these changes that will give both Chiefs and Pirates a chance to dethrone Sundowns as league champions.”
The 42-year-old, who also played for Jomo Cosmos and Bloemfontein Celtic, is also backing Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi to start producing positive results next season, saying the veteran tactician has struggled as he did not understand the nature of South African football.
Can Chiefs & Pirates dethrone Sundowns?
“I believe both Chiefs and Pirates will surprise us. Coach Nasreddine Nabi has learned valuable lessons about South African football. The fact that Chiefs are already in a cup final in Nabi's first season speaks volumes about his abilities,” he added.
“Sundowns won’t rule forever. As long as Chiefs and Pirates don’t rebuild their teams from scratch, I believe we will see different PSL champions as soon as next season,” Tsotetsi further claimed.
It is a bold prediction from the former defender given how big Sundowns spend on players, something Chiefs and Pirates still do not have the capacity to do.
Chiefs last won the PSL title in 2015 while Pirates are still waiting since 2012 when they laid their hands on the coveted trophy.
