Don’t put Themba Zwane under pressure, pleads Sundowns co-coach Mngqithi
Zwane has been tipped to win the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award this season.
Themba Zwane of Mamelodi Sundowns targets another win the Caf Champions league. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix.
Manqoba Mngqithi does not want to pile up the pressure on Themba “Mshishi” Zwane this season, insisting that it is the responsibility of everyone to score goals at Mamelodi Sundowns.
READ: Mngqithi impressed with Sundowns’ lethal attacking trio
The trio of Zwane, Kermit Erasmus and Peter Shalulile have been the go-to guys for goals so far this season but “Mshishi” has rattled the net more than anyone else in the DStv Premiership with five goals in five games.
The 31-year-old has since been tipped to vie for the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award but his coach is cautioning against pressuring Zwane.
“One is impressed with how Mshishi has done but it will be unfair to say now I am expecting him to be the top goal scorer, I just want to enjoy this movie and maybe we must all sit back and see where this thing is taking us. Kermit is coming strong and he has already put a challenge on himself that he wants to score 30 goals this season,” said Mngqithi.
“Peter is scoring almost every second game and Mshishi has been scoring regularly so let’s wait and see, maybe people will come up with strategies to try and stop them but we will keep working a little bit hard to make sure that it is difficult for people to pick up what we are trying to do in attack.
“There are still other players who are looking to come in and do something. Keletso Makgalwa and Promise Mkhuma are itching and we have got some good interesting boys. Lesedi Kapinga came in strongly and we are very impressed. Aubrey Modiba still has to work a little bit harder on his game but we know the quality he possesses,” he added.
The Downs mentor went on to laud Lebohang Maboe for his quiet but effective performances as he has been restored to his natural central midfield role, where he has kept out skipper Hlompho Kekana from the starting line-up of late.
“It is just interesting to see Lebohang Maboe going back to his no.8 position and playing the way he plays. For us it is to try and have a team that has got far too many players who are really giving something in the game, either in both phases, offensively and defensively and in transitional moments but more than anything else it is to try and have a pool of many players who can score goals.”
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
