Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala has disagreed with club legend Jabu Mahlangu over his criticism that Mamelodi Sundowns’ spending power has made the DStv Premiership boring.
Mahlangu had stated earlier in the year that Sundowns’ spending power and them “hovering too many players” is “killing Bafana Bafana”, and also making the league “unwatchable”.
However, when Mahlangu’s statements were put to Tshabalala he respectfully disagreed, saying other clubs can actually lean from the Masandawana and how they run the club.
“I think that’s a good debate and the beauty about a debate [is that] you hear different views and you grow a perspective and you learn from that,” he said during a recent Nedbank Cup event.
“Contrary to the statement [by Jabu Mahlangu], I’d say that we can learn from Sundowns. We can learn from the scouting system, we can learn from how they run the development structures, the investment at development.
“Also, it’s not a team that only buys, they keep on manufacturing players. They also promote, I think, at the right time. They introduce them gradually, they don’t just throw them into the deep end.
“I”m not sure, but maybe they are being taken to an induction process so that they learn, they understand the culture of the team, they understand what success comes with in terms of pressure and expectations – hence they don’t struggled when they’re being given an opportunity.
“Also, it’s not about how much money you have, it’s about how well do you utilise the resources and how well you invest that money that will enable you to get good returns.
“It’s about keep reinvesting all the time. You reinvest, you get your returns, you reinvest. It’s about the long term, it’s a long-term project.
“I think, for me, that’s what I like about the whole system they have created and they’ve become an institution now.”
Sundowns have run away with the DStv Premiership title and can claim it even on the weekend already, despite not playing, if SuperSport United would fail to beat Chippa United.
Otherwise, Rulani Mokwena’s men can secure the title with a win over Cape Town City on 1 April.
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DO YOU AGREE WITH SHABBA THAT OTHER PSL CLUBS SHOULD LEARN FROM DOWNS?
