Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi says he is close to nailing down his best team as their busy schedule starts to take shape.
Sundowns have largely relied on a lot of rotation to manage the heavy workload of featuring in multiple competitions, especially in the Champions League and PSL, which are very demanding.
Mngqithi has stayed true to this in the first three months of the season but he says he has done enough assessment and is now close to settling on a preferred first XI that will play consistently together.
“With all the rotations one has done, it was to make sure we arrive at this stage of the season without a heavy load on the legs,” he said.
Who will make Mngqithi’s best XI at Sundowns?
“We were just unfortunate with the FIFA break and the final immediately after that because that caused a bit of chaos in terms of the physiological readiness of our players.
“But I believe our players are loaded in their legs and they are fresh and I believe we are at the stage where we are getting closer to our combinations and to start firing at the right time, unlike having the players firing too early and you end up creating problems for yourself where people will know what is likely to happen with your selection.
“It is getting closer to probably starting to know who is in the starting XI of Sundowns because we try to hide that as much as possible by rotating the team and making sure every player has minutes in the legs.
“I am happy that almost every player we have has had enough minutes in his legs and everybody is confident he can contribute towards the success of the club.”
Manqoba has confidence in ‘fresh’ Masandawana
Sundowns started their Champions League group stage campaign with a goalless draw against Maniema Union from DR Congo a result that Mngqithi is not worried of, as he feels his players are now fresh and ready to get everything right going forward.
“I don’t think in the past few years we have been in this position where on match day of the Champions League group stage, the players are feeling fresh,” he added.
“I think we were just disturbed by what happened now with the FIFA break but otherwise, I believe everybody is in a good state physiologically to be able to take the loads of the next five matches in the Champions League. It is looking positive.”
Sundowns will host Sekhukhune United in the PSL on Saturday before they resume Champions League action with a tough trip to Morocco to face AS FAR.
