OWAYEYISIQONGQWANE sasemuva kwiMamelodi Sundowns eminyakeni edlule, uLucky “Oshkosh” Molefe, ukholwa wukuthi ukuba khona kukaManqoba “TV” Mngqithi ethimbeni labaqeqeshi beSundowns kuyikhubalo lokuqhubeka komgqigqo waleli qembu wokunqoba izicoco.
UMolefe owayeseqenjini leSundowns elalenza ezibukwayo lidla izicoco lidlala ibhola elalibizwa nge-”Shoe Shine and Piano” ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yawo-1980 kuya ekuqaleni ko-1990, usho kanjena nje iSundowns isanda kwenza izinguquko ethimbeni labaqeqeshi kulandela ukushiya isigubhukane kukaRhulani Mokwena osengumqeqeshi weWydad Casablanca yaseMorocco.
Ngemuva kokushiya kukaMokwena kube sekufika uSteve “Mphathi” Komphela ezosizana noMngqithi esuka kwiLamontville Golden Arrows, noke waba sethimbeni labaqeqeshi leSundowns kumasizini edlule.
Ekuqaleni kwaleli sonto kube sekwethulwa uRomain “Fohloza” Folz ethimbeni labaqeqeshi baleli qembu njengephini likaMngqithi noKomphela.
“UMngqithi usengacishe afaniswe nedlozi ethimbeni labaqeqeshi leSundowns. Useyazi njengentende yesandla sakhe iSundowns, usiko mpilo lweqembu useyalwazi. Ngakho ukuhamba kukaMokwena angikholwa wukuthi kuzoba nomthelela, ngoba uMngqithi kade aba yingxenye yethimba labaqeqeshi beSundowns, futhi nguyena empeleni ongungqondongqondo, uma ngingayibeka ngaleyo ndlela.
Angiboni ukuthi uzophazamiseka umgqigqo weSundowns wokunqoba izicoco ngoba azikho nezinguquko ezingako ezikhona nakubadlali abakhona njengamanje eqenjini, ngaphandle kwabambalwa abahambile, nabasanda kusayiniswa,” kusho uMolefe.
“Useneminyaka ecela ku-11 manje eyingxenye yabaqeqeshi beSundowns kusukela eqala ukusebenza noPitso Mosimane ngo-2013 kuze kube manje, naye uMokwena ufikele kuyena ezoba yiphini lomqeqeshi, naye wancela ulwazi kuyena.”
Ebuzwa uMolefe ngokufika kukaFolz, ezinye izingqapheli zebhola ezikubuka njengokungase kudale ukungqubuzana kwemibono, uthe: “Angiboni ukuthi ukufika kukaFolz kuzophazamisa izinto, ngoba kusobala ukuthi uMngqithi noFolz bayazwana. Empeleni kudala ayefuna ukusebenza naye ngisho nangaphambi kokuba aye kuMaZulu (uFolz) njengoba kuvela nokuthi nguyena owayalela abaphathi baMaZulu ukuthi bamqashe. Lokho kuyakutshela ukuthi la madoda ayatholana kakhulu. Angicabangi ukuthi azohlukana ngokwemibono, yize noma kuzwakala sengathi abanye bayakungabaza ukufika kukaFolz kodwa mina angiboni kanjalo.”
AmaSandawana asenqobe isicoco seligi yePremiership amasizini ayisikhombisa elandelana kusukela ngesizini ka-2017/18, kubhekwe lukhulu kuwona kule sizini ezoqala maduze ka-2024/25 yeBetway Premiership.