Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi had a tough time convincing a section of the club's supporters that he was the right man for the job.
The 53-year-old was given the mandate to steer the team forward after the exit of Rulani Mokwena who eventually joined Moroccan heavyweights Wydad Athletic Club.
Mngqithi's Masandawana did not convince in MTN8 and were eliminated by Stellenbosch in the semi-final. SInce then, they have been doing well; they are currently in the Caf Champions League group stage, Carling Knockout semi-final and are second in on the Premier Soccer League having won six out of the seven games played, a record bettered by Orlando Pirates who have not dropped a point.
With the many competitions the Brazilians are taking part in, Mngqithi explains why it was necessary to make rotations.
There are many teams that will surprise you – Mngqithi
“On the side of maybe confusing opposition coaches, for me, that is not the most important part; the most important part [of rotation] is how the team that gets an opportunity pitches up, and that one is always very difficult,” the former AmaZulu coach told the media.
“There are many teams that will always surprise you, but there are also many people out there whose teams have never played, and they've never lost a match because their teams always play after the match has been finished.
“They are able to say, ‘If you played so and so, and so and so, you could have won this match… if you played this and that, you could have done this,' because their teams never get to play.”
When Sundowns are playing well everybody appreciates
In the first meeting against Polokwane City, the PSL defending champions fielded a weakened side and ended up paying the price. Mngqithi argues fingers are pointed against him when the team is struggling but he does not get enough credit when it is opposite.
“Those opinions [of who to play] become very important when the team is not doing well, but when the team is doing well, it looks good and everybody will always appreciate the fact that we have done well so far,” he continued.
“But when we go to Polokwane City and play the way we played, then it opens up a can of worms because people start to say, ‘But why was he not using the other team?' The same people forget the team that played against Polokwane City is the same one that beat Golden Arrows 5-0, so it becomes very difficult because hindsight is always the best sight.
“But the truth of the matters is, we are happy that our process is still going the way we have planned, and that, for me, is the most important.”
Sundowns play Marumo Gallants on Sunday in the Carling Knockout semi-final hoping to get a positive result ahead of the international break.
