UThemba Mnguni, owayeyisiqongqwane seMamelodi Sundowns, ubona limfanele ithuba lokuya phesheya umdlali wasemuva waleli qembu, uKhuliso Mudau.
UMudau, osephenduke enye yezinsika zeSundowns engompetha beligi yeDStv Premiership, uselenze elakhe ijezi nakwiBafana Bafana. Emuva kokushaya into ecokeme ngesikhathi iNingizimu Afrika, ibhekene neNigeria emdlalweni wokuhlungela iNdebe yoMhlaba, iningi libona uMudau esefanelwe wukuwelela phesheya kwezilwandle. KwiBafana, uMudau oqale ukugqama edlalela iBlack Leopards, ugijime endaweni kaNyiko Mobbie emuva kwesokudla.
“Kumfanele ngempela ukuya phesheya. Ngicabanga ukuthi usedlale kahle kakhulu futhi usekhombisile ukuthi ungumdlali omuhle wasemuva kwesokudla esinayo njengamanje eNingizimu Afrika. Uma kungavela iqembu elimfunayo, sekungancika kwiSundowns ukuthi iyakwemukela yini lokho. Uma ingavumi manje, ngibona ukuthi okungenani adlale enye isizini eNingizimu Afrika, athole isipiliyoni seChampions League. Lokho kuzomenza athole isipiliyoni esingaphezulu kwalesi,” kusho uMnguni.
UMudau uqokwe njengomdlali wasemuva ovelele ekupheleni kwesizini ka-2023/2024. Ngesizini esongwayo usize iSundowns yawina indebe ye-African Football League (AFL) ebiqala ukudlalelwa ezwenikazi, i-Afrika. Nokho abalandeli bayo bazwakalise ukungajabuli ngokuthi iwine iligi kuphela ekubeni idlale imidlalo yamanqamu emibili ngesizini ka-2023/2024. ISundowns ikhale ngaphansi kwi-Orlando Pirates kowamanqamu weMTN8, noweNedbank Cup. KwiChampions League ikhishwe yi-Esperance yaseTunisia, kowamandulela owamanqamu.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi imidlalo eminingi emqhudelwaneni i-AFL kuzoyicija kangcono iSundowns. Izoyisiza ibambe umgqigqo nasendleleni yokudlala nokuxhumana enkundleni. Lo mqhudelwano uzonikeza abaqeqeshi ulwazi olungaphezulu lokuthi izinto zenziwa kanjani kwiChampions League. Ngicabanga ukuthi ngokwezinga leSundowns sekuyifanele ukwenza kangcono kwiChampions League. Okufanele ikwenze nje wukubamba umgqigqo,” kusonga uMnguni.