Sundowns head coach denies ‘expelling’ technical members from senior team

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Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rhulani Mokwena has denied that he expelled the two technical members from the senior team during the recent training camp in Polokwane.

Sundowns have made changes to their technical team with the fitness and conditioning coach Riedoh Berdien and the club’s assistant goalkeepers’ coach Marcus Mashilo no longer with the team.

Mokwena was appointed as the sole head coach after sharing the co-coaching responsibility with Manqoba Mngqithi for two seasons.

The two technical team members Riedoh Berdien and Marcus Mashilo were allegedly kicked out of the team by Mokwena during the recent training camp in Polokwane.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena denies expelling two technical officials:

Berdien was the fitness and conditioning coach while Mashilo was the club’s assistant goalkeepers’ coach. But Mokwena denied that he expelled them.

Mokwena explains, “It’s only normal in any football club. For sure the Club will make necessary changes as we go but to use the words expel is extreme. So I understand but it’s only normal and there will be more changes.”

Sundowns will meet Orlando Pirates in the high-profile DStv Premiership match at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria on Friday. Pirates knocked out Sundowns in the MTN 8 semifinal, drawing in the first leg and heaving winning 3-0 in the second leg.

Although Sundowns won in the unofficial Black Label Cup match in November, the 3-0 defeat in the MTN 8 Cup is still very fresh in Sundowns’ minds.

“The players were shown video clips of why we lost those matches and because we know how we lost, we have prepared ourselves to avoid the same mistakes. Tactically, it’s going to be very interesting and there are different things from Pirates you can see when you analyse them.”

Sundowns’ top striker Peter Shalulile might be available for the clash. The last season’s top goalscorer has not played for the team since early October due to an injury.

“Peter is not out. He is available and training. We will assess and see but he is on the pitch. So we will wait for the medical green light so we will wait,” says Coach Mokwena.

Mokwena could not confirm if the team will sign new players in the January transfer window, but admitted that some players who have not seen much action might be loaned out. -Reporting by Vincent Sitsula.