Sekuhkhune United head coach Brandon Truter says the second and third-string Mamelodi Sundowns squad can finish in the top-three of the DStv Premiership and it’s up to rest of the league to stop complaining and find ways to close the gap.
Sundowns inflicted Truter’s first defeat since joining Sekhukhune, ending a run of six games unbeaten as they shot up the table into fifth place prior to the meeting at Loftus Versveld.
A much-changed Sundowns side, in comparison to what head coach Rulani Mokwena has put out for most of his tenure – managed to beat Babina Noko 2-0 with Peter Shalulile and Cassius Mailula on the scoresheet. Even the 75th minute red card of Marcelo Allende didn’t affect their run of 14 consecutive wins.
“I think any team Sundowns puts on to the field is capable of winning every game,” Truter said when asked by iDiski Times if they missed a chance of three points against a much-changed Masandawana.
“They have so much depth in quality that even second or third-stringers can still end in the top two or three easily,
“Coach Rulani said there’s enough depth and quality in the squad to compete so… I’m just quoting him.”
The former AmaZulu and Swallows boss feels what sets them apart is clearly the quality of personnel – something which will take time for others to try and bridge the gap, provided the right decisions are made in the transfer market.
With Sammy Seabi, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Linda Mntambo, Maloisane Mokhele, Abednego Mosiatlhaga and Seth Parusnath all still to call on – he feels there’s plenty to be positive about for the future.
“The lessons learned are not about the quality or tactical things about Sundowns. As much as there are good quality coaches I think every coach in this league understands tactics. It’s what we analyse and what we see. We played right through their press, right through their midfield in the first half,” he continued.
“So tactically, we can compete, that’s every coach in the league – but it’s well done to the boys for executing the plan and then creating openings. We made it very difficult for them in the opening half. It was end to end, the score was 0-0, it was a fair result. And we still competed tactically in the second half.
“It boils down to the quality, we don’t want to complain about quality though, we also have three or four individuals that possess that type of quality as well, it’s coming to the fore, it’s coming to these types of games – the BMT, to stand out and want to perform. But right through their team is quality and we have to find this quality from the rest of the country.
“We have to close the gap and stop complaining about what Sundowns has, we have to look at what we have – and actually make it a bit of a fight and not a 20 gap.”
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Babina Noko face off against 16th-placed Marumo Gallants next in the league – who announced a technical team shake-up on Monday morning.
