‘I couldn't believe it’: Galaxy coach joins Sundowns on time-wasting

TS Galaxy's Sead Ramovic has become the second coach in the Premier Soccer League to complain about time-wasting and how match officials are poorly policing this frustrating tactic.

Ramovic complained about the tactic on Saturday after Galaxy’s 2-0 defeat to Orlando Pirates in their DStv Premiership match at Orlando Stadium.

The German coach’s complaint comes just days after Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi raised the issue and said it needs serious attention as it is killing SA football.

Ramovic believes a lot of time is being wasted in his team's game against Pirates and said he almost fell off his chair when the match officials added only three minutes at the end.

“I think the supporters saw a good game, but one issue that I didn’t like was time-wasting,” he said.

“I think this should be better and the referees should not let it be like it was.

“And then the extra joke in the end was that only three minutes were added as the extra time — I couldn’t believe it.”

Ramovic, whose team has gone four matches without a win, believes their lack of luck has played a role in recent struggles as they are, he says, playing good football.

“I have to give a lot of credit to my team. We still fought to come back, we still fought to score until the game was finished,” he said.

“I’m sure that we will get our luck back because after [the first] five games when everybody was hyping us, I always said we had to stay calm, humble, continue to work hard — and the same thing I would say now: that we have to stay calm and try to improve.”

Ramovic said the manner Galaxy found themselves trailing early through Sphiwe Msimango's sixth-minute own goal derailed his team's plans.

“Our game plan was to control the space in a collective structure. We also wanted to play in the middle and a high-pressing style. I think we came into the game quickly, but we conceded an unlucky early goal.

“We still tried to play our style and stick to the game plan and again we conceded another unlucky goal. And of course, it’s not easy to come back against, in my opinion, one of the best playing teams right now in SA.

“I think Pirates were really unlucky [to lose] in their last game against Maritzburg [United] and they were also unlucky against Chippa [United, in Bucs' only other defeat of 2022-23].

“[Against us] they had luck on their side, but it is what it is.”

Galaxy will hope lady luck smiles on them when they travel to Richards Bay FC in their league match at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.

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