Sead Ramovic remains furious with Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
TS Galaxy coach Sead Ramovic has launched a stinging attack on Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena, just a few days before the Rockets take on AmaZulu in the semifinals of the Carling Knockout.
Galaxy beat Sundowns in the last 16 of the competition on penalties, two rounds ago, but Ramovic is clearly still upset by Mokwena’s comments that Sundowns lost because they fielded a weakened team.
Sundowns made many changes for the game as their their intense fixture schedule, including participation in the Caf African Football League, meant they had to play just a day after Bafana Bafana played the Ivory Coast in an international friendly in Abidjan.
Ramovic, speaking at a media day on Thursday ahead of the game against Usuthu, said he would never use player absences as an excuse for losing.
“I don’t want to find excuses like other coaches do, for example when we beat Sundowns, what were the excuses of our opponent?” said Ramovic.
“They said they didn’t play seven players (who were with Bafana). How is this respect for the players who played? You have a player you bought for R60 million, (Marcelo) Allende. Then you bought (Junior) Mendieta for R12 million, then you have (Bongani) Zungu and a lot of other national team players. And you come up with this excuse?
“It disrespects my staff, my players and myself. I think a strong coach does not find an excuse, he says ‘fantastic job, Galaxy, fantastic game plan, you beat us’ and he shows respect.
“He is also disrespecting his own team and his own players, if he says he cannot win with the players he has. I think the team that played against us can win the league.”
Ramovic went on to say that his side would also beat Sundowns when they play them later in the season. The two sides are yet to meet in this campaign’s DStv Premiership.
“They have top players … it means we did a fantastic job. I am very happy we beat Sundowns. The first time we beat them he (Mokwena) said we played catenaccio. I cannot understand what cantenaccio is. I promise we will beat them again when we play them (next).”