Kick Off April 2022

Every time one of the so-called Big Three – Kaizer Chefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns – dominate the league, a normal thing to do is to ask what went wrong with the other two. In the last five years, everything has all always been about how Sundowns has conquered the domestic league. And without any surprise, The Brazilians’ success has come with heavy criticism directed towards Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Of course, Pirates and Chiefs have not covered themselves in glory with both clubs winning just one trophy between them in the last five seasons. But while this criticism is well deserved, on the flip side of the coin it overshadows how well other PSL teams are doing. In 2018, Free State Stars did the unthinkable by winning…

To air your views, email your letters to forum@kickoff.com The views expressed in the letters published do not reflect the views of KICK OFF magazine, its editor or publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit and shorten letters. Letters shorter than 200 words will be given preference. Please note there are no prizes for star letters at this time. Up The Brazilians Congratulations to Mamelodi Sundowns for managing to outplay the Red Devils in their very own background. That is a very good achievement looking at the standard of football that Al Ahly is playing, they’re a good side and a tough opponent to every team they come across. For Sundowns to walk away with three points away from home in such a big continental competition is not just…

GOOD MONTH FOR … LEBO MOTHIBA After two years on the sidelines with serious knee and hamstring problems, Bafana Bafana striker Lebo Mothiba has returned to the pitch and scored his first goal for Troyes in Ligue 1, where he is on loan for the rest of the season from Strasbourg. BAD MONTH FOR … BONGANI ZUNGU The Bafana Bafana international is slammed by both Amiens’ head coach and chairperson after picking up an “abnormal” red card during his side’s defeat to Pau. Amiens were leading when Zungu, playing at centre-back, was yellow-carded twice in a matter of seconds. They lost 2-1. ALSO LAST MONTH… • Bongokuhle Hlongwane makes his debut for Major League Soccer side Minnesota United in a 1-1 draw with Philadelphia Union. • Golden Arrows are handed…

While Mamelodi Sundowns supporters have been on cloud nine with The Brazilians picking up regular honours, those backing the clubs from Soweto have lamented the state of affairs. In every transfer window, it is Sundowns, and not traditional powerhouses Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, who parade the cream of the crop. During the recent January window this year, Sundowns landed two of the best players in the country and a highly-rated midfielder from South America. While pictures of Surprise Ralani, Tebogo Mokoena and Erwin Saavedra adorned Sundowns’ social media pages and trended, Chiefs and Pirates didn’t do any business in the market. Their inability to challenge Sundowns financially has raised concerns among their followers. Every Sundowns win is a rubbing salt into the wounds and a reminder of the downward…

The Orlando Pirates coaching pair of Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids has continued dividing opinion as the club meanders on a path thin on consistency, raising questions about what really informed The Bucs decision-makers to take this route. There have been suggestions that with Mamelodi Sundowns succeeding with a co-coaching arrangement which has Manqoba Mngqithi, Rhulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela, Pirates felt they could follow suit. For Sundowns, they already had a solid foundation having dominated the domestic scene under Pitso Mosimane his departure to Al Ahly. Yet at Pirates, Ncikazi and Davids’ reality was that this is a completely different club run on principles not aligned to what is done at Chloorkop. With Pirates having built a culture of trial and error, the functionality and sustainability of the two…

When the dust, generated by the excitement which greeted the arrival of Njabulo Ngcobo at Kaizer Chiefs from Swallows FC, died down, reality set in almost immediately. Ngcobo had to find a way to break the trusted partnership between Mulomowandau Mathoho and Daniel Cardoso at centre-back to get minutes playing at the club. The fact that he had been the best defender in the league last season didn’t matter a bit for coach Stuart Baxter. He wasn’t going to bow to public demands in changing his principles. The Chiefs coach then stirred a hornet’s nest by suggesting that Ngcobo will have to prove himself as he is not the best defender at the club. Deflating to hear for a player who walked in at Naturena with a spring in his…