‘Terrence is special’: What Mashego’s arrival means for Lakay at Sundowns

Terrence Mashego is a “special player” and when he became available on the transfer market it was hard for Mamelodi Sundowns to turn down the chance to sign a player who “ticks all the boxes”, Brazilians co-coach Rulani Mokwena says.

Mamelodi-raised Mashego made his debut off the bench a day after his signing from Cape Town City was confirmed as Downs earned a last-gasp 1-0 DStv Premiership win against AmaZulu at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday, thanks to Marcelo Allende’s 91st minute strike.

With another talented left-back, Sifiso Ngobeni, starting against AmaZulu it appears Lyle Lakay — who Mokwena and his co-coaches campaigned to have included in Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos’ squad last year — has dropped to third in Downs' pecking order.

Mokwena was asked to explain the situation.

“The transfer market is a very strange thing at the moment, particularly since Covid. I think a lot of the clubs, from a financial perspective, are in a precarious position.

“Left-back was not a position we thought we needed to strengthen going into the new season. And we would have loved to have had our [squad] business sorted by now.

“But the reality is when special players — and Terrence is a special player because he plays for the national team — in a certain way are put onto the market and become available you have to check whether all the boxes are ticked.

“Mashego ticks a lot of the boxes. And not necessarily because there’s a decline from any of the other left-backs, but because the reality is a special talent became available in the market.

“He fits the methodology, the style of play. It’s the personality. And then, of course, he’s got this emotional connotation to Sundowns and to Mamelodi.

“That says to you when that type of player is available on the market you’ve got to go for them. That then becomes a talent that pushes a rival and makes them stronger.

“So we are in that space where we’ve welcomed Terrence and are happy to have him, but at the same time know we can’t have too many players. At this moment I think the biggest business for Sundowns is how we trim the squad and who we let go.

“When you have far too many players, that speaks to how much competition there is. Every player wants to feel they can reach a position and when there are three or four players ahead of you it can lead to a lack of motivation.

“That leads to less competition on the training field and that leads to less intensity, which affects the results.”

Sundowns return from the Fifa international date with the first leg of their MTN8 semifinal against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on October 1.

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