Pirates cannot just do as they please – Pitso
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane was not a happy man after Orlando Pirates parked their team bus in the home team's parking space before their PSL clash at Loftus on Saturday.
Pitso Mosimane, coach of Mamelodi Sundowns during the Absa Premiership match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates at the Loftus Versveld Stadium. (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
Mosimane said Pirates can’t do as they please in his backyard.
“What is this? Do I park at Orlando Pirates’ entrance? We still gave them the respect because [we] walked from outside,” said Mosimane.
“When you come to my house you can’t park anywhere you want, I was unhappy. I humbled myself and walked inside. Let them enjoy the parking inside my house, at my door. Can you go to Old Trafford and park anywhere? Are you serious? It is unacceptable.”
Pirates coach Micho Sredojevic was disappointed by the way his side were welcomed by Sundowns when they arrived at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The match ended in a rather tedious goalless draw marred by off-field incidents.
When the Buccaneers arrived, they parked their team bus where the home side normally parks, which resulted in a commotion between security personnel.
“We are extremely disappointed because this is not supposed to be a gesture of a big club,” said Sredojevic. “I believe that [Sundowns owner] Mr Patrice Motsepe is not proud because it is the abuse of the institution when you start saying ‘who is in charge, who is boss’.
“It is very unfortunate and that is not the way to communicate. What is important is that before the match Mr Motsepe escorted us to the field as a gentleman.”
READ: I probably saved his life, says Mosimane of pitch invader
Meanwhile, both coaches were pleased with how the match panned out. The game finished with a 0-0 draw.
“We made sure that we looked after the important players, Xola Mlambo and Ben Motshwari. We didn’t allow them spaces to pass because they always have parties in midfield.
“They can have their parties elsewhere but we don’t want to allow parties at Loftus,” commented Mosimane.
“When you play against Sundowns you need to take care of the smallest details, it is a combination of football and football chess,” said Sredojevic.
“It was a match where everything was present except the most important aspect of putting the ball in the back of the net.”
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