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Pitso Mosimane calls for calm as 'difficult times' hit Sundowns

Pitso Mosimane is feeling the pinch after back-to-back losses. /Samuel Shivambu/Backpage
Pitso Mosimane is feeling the pinch after back-to-back losses. /Samuel Shivambu/Backpage

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane sounded like a man under siege during a hellish week for the tactician.

Sundowns' elimination from the Nedbank Cup at the weekend, the scathing open letter from former player Toni Silva and the end of their undefeated league streak have all abruptly made the atmosphere at Chloorkop a bit tense.

"These are difficult times now. This is when the whole team comes together. And I am talking about everybody: the management, the board and the supporters because these are difficult times," Mosimane said.

"And during difficult times you need all the support. We are human beings also, so we [as coaches] also need support."

Silva, the former Sundowns striker, threw the local football landscape into a frenzied tailspin after lashing out at the former Bafana Bafana mentor.

Silva had all sorts of unflattering things to say, including that the coach is "weak, and unprofessional".

"You are arrogant and your ego does not help you as you fail to make your players happy, but killing dreams and player's careers," Silva wrote.

Perhaps a sign of the turbulence in the team was their 2-0 loss to AmaZulu when Downs played with little zest.

The eight-time Absa Premiership champions had their year-long undefeated league run snapped after 28 games.

"You just have to work on the players' minds because you don't want to lose the confidence of the players."

The team will have to shake off the recent events and turn their attention to the CAF Champions League where they face Ivorian side ASEC Mimosas at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville tomorrow (9pm).

The 2016 CAF Coach of the Year plans to consolidate a few aspects before taking on the Ivory Coast club.

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