With Mamelodi Sundowns playing without their Bafana Bafana stars when they face TS Galaxy in the new Carling Knockout at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm), former player Mathew Booth thinks their depth will be tested.
Sundowns will be without goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala, Teboho Mokoena, Grant Kekana and Themba Zwane as they will be representing Bafana when they face Ivory Coast in the international friendly tomorrow in Abidjan.
They will be available for Sundowns when they face Petro de Luanda in the new African Football League (AFL) quarterfinal first leg on Saturday.
Booth feels they will manage without those players but they will be missed against Galaxy on Wednesday.
“Their big squad will be tested now and I think they can manage because they have the capacity,” Booth told Sowetan yesterday.
“But whether it is fair or not [to play the game on Wednesday], that’s a different story. I feel like some sort of agreement could have been made, considering that they do have players representing the country.
“The players who represent the national team are the cream of the crop from Sundowns and South African point of view. TS Galaxy are a difficult team to break down. They can be brilliant on the day and be average as well. Coach Sead Ramovic has done a great job with them and if you are not at your best, they will punish you.
“So, it is a bit of a concern, but they have also committed to African competition, and you can’t complain that games are coming thick and fast and then you commit to further competitions as well. It’s a bit of a catch-22. This commitment has come quite at a late stage and I can understand the league’s point of view and Sundowns’ point of view as well.”
Sundowns have rotated their players well this season and their fringe players have delivered when given the opportunity.
Booth feels they will be up for a fight again.
“I think the coaching staff at Sundowns over the last 10 to 15 years have perfected the art of physiology involved in getting fringe players up to scratch and them to take the game seriously and to be up for the fight,” he said.
“It’s very difficult to do that. I don’t know what they do, but they have a really intelligent squad, so I think they will manage. They have intelligent players who will be up for a fight, but those Bafana players will be missed.”
Carling fixtures
Wednesday: Galaxy v Sundowns, Mbombela (7.30pm)
Friday: Pirates v Spurs, Orlando (7.30pm)
Saturday: Arrows v CPT, Mpumalanga (3pm); Chippa v Stellenbosch, Nelson Mandela Bay (3pm); Chiefs v AmaZulu, FNB (6pm); Sekhukhune v Royal, Peter Mokaba (8.15pm)
Sunday: Bay v Swallows, King Zwelithini (3pm); SuperSport v Polokwane, TUT (6pm)
Sundowns will be without Bafana players against Galaxy
Booth feels Brazilians depth will be tested
Image: BackpagePix Staff/Gerhard Duraan
With Mamelodi Sundowns playing without their Bafana Bafana stars when they face TS Galaxy in the new Carling Knockout at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm), former player Mathew Booth thinks their depth will be tested.
Sundowns will be without goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala, Teboho Mokoena, Grant Kekana and Themba Zwane as they will be representing Bafana when they face Ivory Coast in the international friendly tomorrow in Abidjan.
They will be available for Sundowns when they face Petro de Luanda in the new African Football League (AFL) quarterfinal first leg on Saturday.
Booth feels they will manage without those players but they will be missed against Galaxy on Wednesday.
“Their big squad will be tested now and I think they can manage because they have the capacity,” Booth told Sowetan yesterday.
“But whether it is fair or not [to play the game on Wednesday], that’s a different story. I feel like some sort of agreement could have been made, considering that they do have players representing the country.
“The players who represent the national team are the cream of the crop from Sundowns and South African point of view. TS Galaxy are a difficult team to break down. They can be brilliant on the day and be average as well. Coach Sead Ramovic has done a great job with them and if you are not at your best, they will punish you.
“So, it is a bit of a concern, but they have also committed to African competition, and you can’t complain that games are coming thick and fast and then you commit to further competitions as well. It’s a bit of a catch-22. This commitment has come quite at a late stage and I can understand the league’s point of view and Sundowns’ point of view as well.”
Sundowns have rotated their players well this season and their fringe players have delivered when given the opportunity.
Booth feels they will be up for a fight again.
“I think the coaching staff at Sundowns over the last 10 to 15 years have perfected the art of physiology involved in getting fringe players up to scratch and them to take the game seriously and to be up for the fight,” he said.
“It’s very difficult to do that. I don’t know what they do, but they have a really intelligent squad, so I think they will manage. They have intelligent players who will be up for a fight, but those Bafana players will be missed.”
Carling fixtures
Wednesday: Galaxy v Sundowns, Mbombela (7.30pm)
Friday: Pirates v Spurs, Orlando (7.30pm)
Saturday: Arrows v CPT, Mpumalanga (3pm); Chippa v Stellenbosch, Nelson Mandela Bay (3pm); Chiefs v AmaZulu, FNB (6pm); Sekhukhune v Royal, Peter Mokaba (8.15pm)
Sunday: Bay v Swallows, King Zwelithini (3pm); SuperSport v Polokwane, TUT (6pm)
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