Mngqithi suspects fan ban is a moneymaking scheme
Downs coach concedes beaten Ahly were exhausted
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi feels the reluctance to increase the number of fans allowed in stadiums may be a strategy to boost pay TV subscriptions.
In October last year the government amended regulation 69 of the Disaster Management Act, permitting at least 2,000 fans at outdoor sporting events. There has been a public outcry over this, with many urging the stakeholders to increase the maximum capacity to at least 50%.
Speaking in the media conference after his side’s 1-0 win over Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League Group A tie at FNB Stadium at the weekend, where Sundowns exercised the 2,000-fan regulation, Mngqithi suggested the unwillingness to increase the capacity in stadiums may be to push decoder sales.
“It’s like maybe we’re trying to make sure that people buy more subscriptions to watch their games at home, instead of making sure that the game is watched in the stadium,’’ said Mngqithi.
The Brazilians coach insinuated it makes no scientific sense to think having 2,000 fans in one stand was safer than having the same number of fans in other stands.
“If you’ve got these people sitting on this side of the stand, what’s the difference if you have the same thing happening on the other side and the other side? When we go to Al Ahly they opened for more than 5,000 people but we open for 2,000. No! The playing fields aren’t the same,’’ Mngqithi vented.
Peter Shalulile netted the goal that handed the Tshwane giants the huge victory over Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly, who are the defending champions.
Completing an unprecedented double over the defending champions has not made Mngqithi think Sundowns will go all the way and win the Champions League, saying Al Ahly have not been that strong due to fatigue in recent months.
“To be honest, I wouldn’t want to take the wins against Al Ahly and get carried away because the fact is that Al Ahly have played far too many matches and they’re not as fresh as other teams. If we’re fair, probably now they’re close to match number 60 this season and that makes them not to be as sharp as they can be,’’ said Mngqithi.