Mokwena Sidesteps Egyptian Media Over Sirino, Highlights Mailula Impact

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena says attention should go to Cassius Mailula rather than questioning why Gaston Sirino has not been featured as prominently when quizzed by Egyptian media.

Sirino has been a long-time target for the Egyptian giants and that interest intensified and somewhat soured the relationship to a degree whilst Pitso Mosimane left Masadawana for the Red Devils – in which the transfer pursuit became quite public.

Naturally, sections of their media were interested to see the transformation of Sundowns squad this season and in particular, why the likes of Sirino and Denis Onyango have not bee as prominent in the first eleven.

“A player like Gaston, he’s been injured, so he’s been unlucky this season – but I’d much rather you ask why a player like Cassius Mailula is playing, it’s a bit more positive than asking me about who’s out,” Mokwena said in the pre-match press conference.

“We have a lot of very good players, Cassius is just, I think he would say the same, he’s privileged to be in a squad where he can learn from some of the best players on the African continent. 

“As a youngster, coming from our academy, he makes Masandawana’s very proud, the club very proud because he reflects the investment and hard work made by the football club, and youth coaches in that space. 

“So we’re very proud to have him, just as we’re proud to have ‘Tebza’ here next to me, who’s grown in leaps and bounds and become an important player for us in his first full season and many of them like Ronwen, Neo Meama, [Khuliso] Mudau, and these players are coming into a team with high expectations, but they make us very proud.”

As Ahly became accustomed to the old guard, they still hold some highly experienced players that are set to face Sundowns, in the form of captain Mohamed El Shenaway, Ali Maâloul, Hamdy Fathi, Madgy Asfha and Hussein El Shehat.

And while Sundowns have been dominant in the domestic league, they are unlikely to have any of their 2016 Champions League winners experience in the clash in Cairo this evening.

“If you look at the majority of our starting line-up, the last two Champions League games, it’s clear that some of the players, some of them played the Champions League last season,” Mokwena said about the new-look squad.

“Very few of them have the type of Champions League experience that Al Ahly have, for an example in their squad – an experience like Dennis Onyango in our team, so we’re in this thing together, where we try to get a bit of a feeling for the Champions League.

“Get a bit of a feeling of the terrain and the competitiveness that comes with playing football on the African continent, the highest level of African football, and then of course, trying to do better than last season.

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“To qualify from the group, work very hard, is our immediate focus, it’s four very good teams, Sundowns being one of the four very good teams, so when we sit here and say Al Ahly is a good side, well coached, with good players – it’s the same descriptions for us.”