Sundowns legend Arendse rates Masandawana's season after ...
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Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender Wayne Arendse has defended Mamelodi Sundowns’ failure to win the Caf Champions League.
WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazilians were knocked out of the Champions League by Wydad Casablanca at the semi-final stage last weekend. Their exit from the continent's elite club competitions meant they finished the season with only one piece of silverware to show, the Premier Soccer League title.
This is after they also failed to win the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup. For a club that heavily invested in signing players, a lot was expected from the Brazilians. But Arendse has leapt to their defence, saying ending the season with just one trophy does not constitute failure.
WHAT ARENDSE SAID: “I wouldn’t say this season was a failure for Sundowns because it’s a work in progress,” Arendse told Sowetan Live.
“The team is almost new, Guys like Ronwen [Williams], [Sipho] Mbule, and Allende have just arrived. They can win everything next year because of the foundation they’ve laid this season. There’s really no need to panic, they really had a great season and improved from last season.
“I think they can win it [the Champions League] in the near future. Honestly, I thought this was the year but you know... that’s North African teams for you, they hit you when you least expect it. It’s a difficult pill to swallow for them.
“It’s small details, it’s your very small details like when you can’t breach defence like in open-play, try to use set-plays. Wydad were counting on set-pieces.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Already way ahead of their PSL rivals in terms of investing in player transfers, Sundowns’ Champions League exit could see them spending more money in the transfer market than before.
The Champions League title has eluded them since 2016 and it has become their top priority. If they increase their budget for acquiring players to help them in their continental quest, there is a good chance Masandawana would push further ahead of their PSL opponents in quality, thereby prolonging their domestic dominance.
Coach Rhulani Mokwena has already said they bombed out of the continental competition due to lack of experience and that could send him on a search for more established players.
WHAT NEXT FOR SUNDOWNS? The Brazilians' campaign has ended earlier than they had wanted and they now go for the off-season break before they return to prepare for next term.
