Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi is a bit perturbed by the threat that small ABC Motsepe League teams always bring to the Nedbank Cup.
Sundowns will face unknown Summerfield Dynamos in the last eight of the national cup on Saturday at Loftus Stadium. Kick-off is at 6pm.
“I cannot be fooled. We will have to tread carefully because they’re a very good team with former PSL [Premier Soccer League] players and a very experienced coach Clinton Larsen,” said Mngqithi.
“They have former Bloemfontein Celtic star Lerato Manzini and ex-Giolden Arrows star Sandile Zukwe. But we are confident that our players will give it their best shot and compete. We just cannot afford to take them for granted.”
Larsen was quoted in the media saying that he and his young charges stood no chance against the best team in the country.
Mngqithi added: “Clinton is a good coach who has frustrated us on numerous occasions and also stole points from us. It won’t be a walk in the park even though they’re an ABC Motsepe League side.
“They have qualified for the NFD [National First Division] play-offs and that tells about the quality of the side. I know he may just spring a surprise on us. The match will be good preparation for them for the play-offs.”
Mngqithi said that such situations are always difficult to approach.
“For them, they have nothing to lose. If we beat them so what, but if they beat us, it’s a big deal. So, it’s one of the most stressful matches for us coaches – the players are also not intrinsically motivated, but us coaches have to fight that kind of thinking.
“The game also helps us in a way that other players can get a chance to play. We do not just rotate players for the sake of it. Our policy is to rotate players according to how we profile our opponents. We will rotate the squad if necessary and possible.”
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