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Only financial fair play can neutralise Sundowns – Baloyi

'Deep pockets give Brazilians unfair advantage'

Neville Khoza Journalist
Former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Brian Baloyi.
Former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Brian Baloyi.
Image: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

If the Premier Soccer League (PSL) continues to have no financial fair play, no one will win the league except Mamelodi Sundowns.

This is the view of former goalkeeper Brian Baloyi, who said teams can do whatever they want but will never beat Sundowns for the DStv Premiership title in years to come.

Sundowns have been dominating SA football, winning the league title five times in succession and are on course for their sixth this season.

“My honest opinion is, there will never be anyone that will compete with Sundowns for as long as things are the way they are. Sundowns will keep on winning the league until something like what happened in England happens here,” Baloyi explained to the media during the Hollywoodbets function in Johannesburg, where they unveiled Teko Modise as their new ambassador. 

“What is happening here is what Chelsea used to do back in the days [in the English Premiership] and then other clubs started wanting to do it but Uefa came with financial fair play.

“But if we don’t have financial fair play, no one will win the league [except Sundowns], they can try whatever Sundowns do, the simple things.”

Sundowns have been heavily criticised for buying every best player available in the market to weaken their rivals. Now they are believed to be interested in Khanyiso Mayo – and that will be eliminating Cape Town City’s strength.

“By the end of the first round whoever is second and third ... they buy your players and cripple you and you are not going to compete, and they have been doing it consistently,” he said. “When we talk about PSL football you always look at other things but you don’t address the real issues.

“For me, this is the real issue and I have nothing against Sundowns and their owners, but if we want to have a competitive league then we will think about doing something in this way. All other people with money can come, [Shauwn] Mkhize and [Sandile] Zungu, but they can never compete with Sundowns at that level.

“They are coming in where even Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates cannot compete with Sundowns at that level. How do you win the league? One or two here can win the cups but they will never win the league.”

Baloyi also feels Sundowns should admit that they have had an unfair advantage for a long time and that needs to change.

“If they are enjoying winning the league the way they are then it's fine for them. If you look at the quality of foreigners Sundowns bring, they do that because they can afford that and most other teams bring mediocre [foreigners].”

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