‘We have another rivalry outside the Soweto derby’: TS Galaxy boss Sukazi says no bad blood with Sundowns

TS Galaxy boss Tim Sukazi has defended coach Sead Ramović, who has been involved in a war of words with Mamelodi Sundowns counterpart Rulani Mokwena, while insisting there is no bad blood between the two teams.

He says it is a sign of the growing rivalry between the two teams.

Over the past few months Ramović and Mokwena have been at each other’s throats, with public spats. Their 1-1 DStv Premiership draw spilt over on Wednesday at Mbombela Stadium because of strained relations between the teams. 

Asked to comment on the fracas that ensued after the match between players and officials, Sukazi said South African football lovers must be happy there is another rivalry apart from the Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. 

“There is no bad blood between us and Sundowns and it will never be, I promise you,” said the flamboyant Sukazi. 

“I have contributed a lot to project Sundowns personally and I have achieved many things with Sundowns that many won’t know about. Even if I wanted bad blood, it won’t happen.  

“The only thing we have witnessed is football rivalry and we must be happy as a country that we now have another rivalry that has been confirmed outside the Soweto derby. 

“We have another rivalry and we are blessed because it doesn’t happen so much in South African football to have more than one rivalry.” 

Sukazi said some of the things Ramović said was just banter. 

“The devil remains in the detail. People need to understand why certain names were used and someone said he mentioned something like sunshine. Understand what he means and where it comes from and then you can take your own position as to whether you agree or disagree with him and that is normal. 

“There is the thing he said about spending money and buying Kylian Mbappé and other players and that one is purely banter and nothing, really. How will they be able to buy Mbappé, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, for example? 

“That makes the next game more interesting and that game is going to happen next season in the league. Probably Sundowns would have brought in more signings. That means they will be stronger than they are now. The issue is how is TS Galaxy going to stand with that strength of the mighty Sundowns? That is what it is about.” 

Sukazi said he went to the pitch when he saw the commotion after the match. 

“As for the commotion after the game, I went there and coach Wendell Robinson was also furious, like other technical team members. They said to me Ramović came to shake the hand of Mokwena and he said no. 

“If you ask me, 'Would you have allowed him [Ramović] to shake Rulani’s hand?', the answer will be yes — and why not? Then there was pushing and shoving unnecessarily — but other than that, there was nothing.”