Former Orlando Pirates coach Roger De Sa has explained why Mamelodi Sundowns may face in maintaining their dominance in the league this season, a stark contrast to their previous decade of success.
The Brazilians have won the PSL league title seven times in a row, becoming the first South African side to achieve that feat.
Last season, they also set another significant record, winning the league with a 23-point lead and losing only one match in 30 league games of the season.
De Sa believes that the rise of Orlando Pirates will pose significant challenges for Masandawana in the title race this year. He suggests that even if Sundowns manage to win the league, it will not come as easily as it has in the past.
Additionally, he feels that the recent changes within the technical team may disrupt the established rhythm that Sundowns have enjoyed in prior seasons.
WHY EX-PIRATES COACH FORESEES SUNDOWNS STRUGGLING THIS SEASON
“Obviously, over the past few years, Sundowns have dominated the league, and I think other teams were just too behind to challenge Sundowns,” De Sa told FARPost.
“So this season, I think Sundowns will not have it easy; even if they win the league, I don’t think they’ll win it with the 23-point gap.
“Pirates will give it a fight because they assembled a good squad for the past two seasons, and they also have a good coach.
“This is going to be one of the challenging seasons for Sundowns. Also, I think that the departure [of coach Mokwena] can be positive or negative; only time will tell if the departure was good or bad.
“When the club changes leadership, some players want to prove themselves and produce good performances, and sometimes the changes disrupt the team. So we’ll have to wait and see.”
