Jomo Sono has laughed off suggestions that‚ so early on in their return to top-flight football‚ there are similarities between their 2011-12 season that ended in relegation for his club Jomo Cosmos and the current campaign.
Ezenkosi have already been labelled by opposition teams and pundits as perhaps the most defensive-minded side in the Absa Premier League following three successive goalless draws.
Sono‚ owner and coach of the promoted club‚ was at the helm when Cosmos were sent packing to the lower division three seasons ago having only managed two wins‚ 13 draws and 15 defeats in 30 matches.
There was jubilation and fists in the air on Wednesday night when they held a formidable SuperSport United outfit to a goalless stalemate at the Lucas Moripe Stadium‚ with Sono declaring that “nobody will score against us” shortly after the final whistle.
Cosmos are the only side in the league yet to score in three rounds of matches‚ but the former Bafana Bafana mentor is not worried.
“At some point we will beat somebody‚ but we will not concede. Nobody will score against us. We are not defending‚ but attacking even though we are limited in terms of personnel.
“We are still using an NFD team with five regulars who will go straight into the starting line-up missing.”
Although he scoffed at the notion that he was becoming a specialist at shutting up shop at the back to frustrate his opponents‚ his post-match remarks further strengthened the argument that he was indeed parking the bus.
“That is how we play‚ according to our system. We wait for the opposition to make mistakes because that is how you get goals. We are too strong at the back and we have worked on this defence since we were in the NFD‚” he said.
“For now‚ my goalkeeper and defence are our strongest departments. I would also add my midfield to that list and I have two more still unavailable. We will get a fluke goal along the way and win‚ but I don’t see us conceding‚ so Cosmos will stay in the Premier League. I am not worried. It just depends who we play against.”
Sono confirmed that Charlton Mashumba‚ the club’s top scorer during their successful attempt to gain promotion earlier this year‚ would be returning to the club after a move abroad failed to materialise.
The coach expects Mashumba and his fellow Zimbabwean‚ new striker Denver Mukamba‚ to be available against Platinum Stars on September 13.
‘At some point we will beat somebody‚’ says Jomo
Jomo Sono has laughed off suggestions that‚ so early on in their return to top-flight football‚ there are similarities between their 2011-12 season that ended in relegation for his club Jomo Cosmos and the current campaign.
Ezenkosi have already been labelled by opposition teams and pundits as perhaps the most defensive-minded side in the Absa Premier League following three successive goalless draws.
Sono‚ owner and coach of the promoted club‚ was at the helm when Cosmos were sent packing to the lower division three seasons ago having only managed two wins‚ 13 draws and 15 defeats in 30 matches.
There was jubilation and fists in the air on Wednesday night when they held a formidable SuperSport United outfit to a goalless stalemate at the Lucas Moripe Stadium‚ with Sono declaring that “nobody will score against us” shortly after the final whistle.
Cosmos are the only side in the league yet to score in three rounds of matches‚ but the former Bafana Bafana mentor is not worried.
“At some point we will beat somebody‚ but we will not concede. Nobody will score against us. We are not defending‚ but attacking even though we are limited in terms of personnel.
“We are still using an NFD team with five regulars who will go straight into the starting line-up missing.”
Although he scoffed at the notion that he was becoming a specialist at shutting up shop at the back to frustrate his opponents‚ his post-match remarks further strengthened the argument that he was indeed parking the bus.
“That is how we play‚ according to our system. We wait for the opposition to make mistakes because that is how you get goals. We are too strong at the back and we have worked on this defence since we were in the NFD‚” he said.
“For now‚ my goalkeeper and defence are our strongest departments. I would also add my midfield to that list and I have two more still unavailable. We will get a fluke goal along the way and win‚ but I don’t see us conceding‚ so Cosmos will stay in the Premier League. I am not worried. It just depends who we play against.”
Sono confirmed that Charlton Mashumba‚ the club’s top scorer during their successful attempt to gain promotion earlier this year‚ would be returning to the club after a move abroad failed to materialise.
The coach expects Mashumba and his fellow Zimbabwean‚ new striker Denver Mukamba‚ to be available against Platinum Stars on September 13.
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