Sundowns coach Mosimane steps up psychological warfare, says Cape Town City will win league title

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has said he fancies Cape Town City to win the Absa Premiership this season.

This in itself is an earth-shattering statement and if the reader wants to go back and read it again‚ feel free.

Mosimane was on a roll after being announced the Premier Soccer League’s coach of the month for February this week.

Shortly after pronouncing that he felt Kaizer Chiefs would be favourites against his African champions Sundowns in Saturday’s league match at FNB Stadium on Saturday night‚ Mosimane said he sees City as favourites to win the league.

• Mosimane plays mind games with Komphela and says Chiefs will start as favourites against SundownsKaizer Chiefs are the favourites in Saturday night’s huge Absa Premiership game‚ Mamelodi Sundowns’ coach Pitso Mosimane proclaimed in what must surely have been a beginning of the mind-games ahead of the match at FNB Stadium. 

Speaking on his current injury situation‚ Downs’ coach said: “I don’t know if there is anybody going through what we are going through. We have a lot of injuries at the moment.

“But somehow‚ somewhere we know why – because we’re playing more games than any other team.

“For example when we played City (when Downs lost 1-0 on Friday‚ March 3)‚ the last time they had played was eight days back.

“We had played on Saturday‚ Tuesday‚ Wednesday (in a two-day draw against Chippa United affected by the lights going out at Loftus Versfeld)‚ and then we played on Friday in Cape Town. I mean really‚ it’s not possible.

• PSL no longer set to finish on June 17‚ but now on May 27The Absa Premiership season will no longer end on June 17‚ as had earlier been scheduled and announced due to outlandish fixtures congestion‚ but now on May 27. 

“We had to lose that match. We were playing against a team that was well rested.

“And I think Cape Town City look good to win the league. I fancy them to win the league‚ because they are well rested.

“It’s like Chelsea – they don’t have to play Champions League and they are only waiting for the league. They are fresh.

“So Kaizer Chiefs are fresh. They are only playing in the Nedbank Cup.

“We are everywhere. Now‚ in April‚ we are playing one game every three days – we are playing nine games.

• Pitso Mosimane wants to bring Lebogang Manyama to Mamelodi SundownsPitso Mosimane would like to sign Lebogang Manyama‚ who he described as a “Sundowns player” in the forward’s style of play‚ but indicated he might not be willing to break the bank for the Cape Town City star. 

“In May we play nine games‚ including in Africa. So which team is going to struggle – Sundowns. And Wits‚ depending how seriously they take the Confederation Cup.

“I know SuperSport United will give it a go in the Confed Cup. So they and us are disadvantaged.

“We will have a lot of injuries and will be travelling. You are tired of hearing about our injury list.”

City lead the league with 39 points from 21 games. Wits are in second place on 38 from 19‚ SuperSport United third (37 from 20) and Kaizer Chiefs fourth (36 from 21).

• Manyama and Mosimane voted as the PSL's best player and coach respectively in FebruaryCape Town City forward Lebogang Manyama won the Absa Premiership’s player of the month award for February on Wednesday and Pitso Mosimane of Mamelodi Sundowns won coach of the month. 

Sundowns are dangerously placed in fifth place with 34 points from just 17 matches. City and Chiefs are not involved in continental club competition.

Sundowns are through as defending champions to the group stages of the Caf Champions League‚ and SuperSport and Wits are involved in the Caf Confederation Cup.

 - TMG Digital/TMG Sport