MAMELODI Sundowns right-back Ramahlwe Mphahlele and coach Pitso Mosimane yesterday slammed views that one of their own had become a bad player overnight following costly mistakes against Platinum Stars.

Those mistakes saw Downs bomb out of the MTN8 when holders Dikwena beat them last Saturday.

Mphahlele and Mosimane were indirectly responding to comments made by Owen da Gama, a former Dikwena and Orlando Pirates coach, about left-back Tebogo Langerman at the weekend.

Da Gama, who occasionally works as a television football pundit, said new national team coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba “should not consider him”.

Langerman gave away a penalty and his mistake allowed Ndumiso Mabena through to score a second for Stars. To be fair, Mosimane did set up Langerman to take the fall when he partly blamed him in a television interview.

Mphahlele said he has since spoken to his teammate about the appalling performance and backed him to improve, starting with their Absa Premiership opener against Maritzburg  United  at Loftus on Friday night.

“It’s football and knowing Tebogo, he has a strong character to overcome the setback. He literally won us the league last season with his vital crosses to create goals,” said Mphahlele.

“He knows the criticism comes with the job. He has taken it like a  man  and is moving forward. I had a word with him and he told me that it’s water under the bridge.”

Langerman is the only left-back available for Downs with Mzikayise Mashaba and Punch Masenamela injured. Mosimane said the 28-year-old’s two Bafana caps to date were proof that he was good enough to play for the defending league champions.

“He is a very good football player. If he wasn’t good I wouldn’t have used him when I was Bafana coach, and Gordon Igesund [the outgoing Bafana coach] wouldn’t have selected him if he is that bad,” Mosimane said.

“Langerman was selected to play against Spain. He’s made mistakes, crucial mistakes. But it’s life.”