Emotional Pitso apologises to fans
'Jingles' Mosimane says a defeat leaves a sour taste but he is proud that his players showed character even in defeat.
Eliot Mahlase
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has apologised to Sundowns fans for his team’s humiliating 5-0 defeat against Bloemfontein Celtic on Wednesday evening at the Lucas Moripe stadium in Atteridgeville.
The defeat leaves Sundowns 13 points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs who only need 3 points from their remaining games to lift the title. With five games to go, a second place finish looks destined for the Brazilians.
In a post-match interview with Supersport, Mosimane said the loss was not good for the image of the club but the result will test the character of every individual at Sundowns. “When the chips are down, we as coaches have to bring up the team and encourage the guys and we have to apologise to our people,” he said.
Sundowns were 2-0 and a man down at half-time and they could have switched to defense mode as ‘Phunya Selel Sele’ was pushing for a third but ‘Jingles’, as he is known, said he told the boys to go forward and try to score.
“You can’t sit back and say let’s take 2-0, go home and hide behind the 2-0. It’s football, it does happen. You have to play, it’s Sundowns,” Mosimane said.
Despite losing the match, ‘Jingles’ praised his team for the character they showed though they played with 10 men for the majority of the game.
“My boys played, they tried. We pushed the ball and I have a team that plays good football. I know it doesn’t help now when you lose 5-0, it’s like I’m making excuses but if anybody thinks I’m making excuses, so be it,” Mosimane said.
Sundowns will look to win the Nedbank Cup and end the season on a high but will have to get past Vasco da Game in the semi-final.
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