Sundowns have not put foot off pedal – Mokwena

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena is finding it difficult to understand why drawing their last three outings is viewed by many as struggling, laying the blame on social media for driving that narrative.

Before drawing 1-all away to Golden Arrows on Wednesday, Sundowns were coming off back-to-back scoreless stalemates against Cape Town City and Swallows. The series of draws came after the Tshwane giants had already sealed what’s their sixth consecutive league title, but that didn’t stop some to suggest the recent results are a sign that the wheels are coming off. 

Sundowns will be eager to return to winning ways when they take on Stellenbosch in the Nedbank Cup last eight tie at Athlone Stadium tomorrow (6pm).

“It’s not always about the data but if you look at the data of our last three games, the most important for sure is the score because we are in football to win but we've created so many chances. I mean, yesterday [on Wednesday at Arrows] we had 18 possibilities, we had nine shots on target, probably the highest we've had this season, but still the game ends 1-1,'' Mokwena said at a media conference at PSL offices in Parktown yesterday.

"We've got to respect the fact that, because we all are different human beings, we've got different interpretations of what is good and what isn't good. Because now our opinions can be shared amongst the public and sometimes maybe we have to be careful because part of our thinking in modern societies is what we would call a sheep type of mentality, where one goes and everybody follows. That's why maybe I have moved myself away from the social media space because I try to have very sober thoughts about the team."

Promising it's a matter of time before they return to winning ways, Mokwena feels their success is the reason people think they’ve regressed by drawing the last three outings.

“I know that we are just a couple of minutes away from winning games. Sometimes we are victims of our own successes,” Mokwena said.