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Mokwena says Jali is shoo-in as season winner

My player has been consistent, says award-winning Downs co-coach

Neville Khoza Journalist
Andile Jali of Mamelodi Sundowns has been named Player of the Month for December.
Andile Jali of Mamelodi Sundowns has been named Player of the Month for December.
Image: Shaun Roy

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena is surprised that the debate on who should walk away with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Footballer of the Season award hasn’t started yet as he feels Andile Jali should already be the talk of the town.

This after Mokwena and co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi won their third successive Coach of the Month award. Jali was named the Player of the Month for December.

Mokwena feels Jali has been consistent this season and why the debate on who is likely to win the Footballer of the Year hasn’t started surprises him.

“What’s important is that we continue to work in this way. And if you continue to work in this way, then maybe the debate will start because I’m very surprised that with AJ’s performances with Mshishi’s [Themba Zwane] consistency and performances, we haven’t started the debate of the Footballer of the Season. I’m very surprised,” Mokwena told the club media department yesterday.

“So hopefully now that AJ has won Footballer of the Month, and rightfully so, I’m not sure how many he’s won now already, one or two, but that’s okay.

“The reflection on the performances cannot be based on those individual awards but based on Man of the Match that he’s already chalked up. The consistency in the performances, and then maybe with the media we can start the talk of, is Andile Jali the Footballer of the Season so far?

“And I would be very surprised if we don’t start that talk yet.”

Meanwhile, Mokwena was pleased to have walked away with their third successive monthly award and said everyone at the club deserves praise.

“You get these awards because the team is winning because of the players and the rest of the support staff. We would like to extend a huge congratulation to our support staff and the rest of the technical team for their contribution towards the success of the club.”

Mngqithi said although they won the award, they were not happy that they had dropped five points during the December period. 

“This is one period where we didn’t have the best performances. We even dropped points. I think we dropped five points out of 21 that we were supposed to get,” he said.

“We only managed to get 16, but still it was a very good return, but thanks to everyone for making the club have all the resources to be able to achieve what we got.”

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