Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach Steve Komphela has discussed whether Lucas Ribeiro Costa is too good for the Premier Soccer League.
Komphela had replaced Manqoba Mngqithi during the pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s match against Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.
After Ribeiro scored a cracking goal in Sundowns’ 3-0 win over Cape Town City it was put to Komphela whether the Brazilian is perhaps a level above the rest of the players in the PSL, with the Masandawana coach denying that notion before waxing lyrical about his latest goal.
“What are you saying to our league? We want more of those [quality players],” Komphela replied.
“If I were to immediately jump into the notion [that he’s playing with kids], then I would’ve insulted Cape Town City and I don’t think Eric Tinkler would take kind to that.
“You look at the kid who plays in the middle of Cape Town City, he is a vibe, he plays good football. And now you look at the Ribeiro scenario and be consumed by that and miss the other great stuff – whether it’s your Darwins, your Goedemanns, those are good players.
“It is good to have the PSL with good quality players. And the product gets there.
“If LaLiga says ‘no, let’s hang on to Messi, hang on to Ronaldo’ they want to have a good product that internationally re-invites broadcasters and all that and then the league becomes prestigious and there is better investment.
“So the PSL must do the same. And of Ribeiro is the kind of player we say just before he goes somewhere else, ‘guys, what can we do? Can we get some partnership to secure this guy for the prestige and the level of the league?’
“in terms of the level of the finishing, he made it look so easy, that connection is one of the most difficult. I’ll tell you why, Mudau breaks out wide. In terms of your angles, the ball is not played back, per se, it is slightly in line [and] that’s the most difficult connection when you have to connect a square pass, your timing has to be perfect.
“The benefit is that, the ball came across from his right shoulder and then he connected with the left, which then gives him a leverage of you can swing and come opposite of the ball and then it becomes a hell of a goal.
“And I don’t know how many keepers [save it], not unless you’re in the line of the strike, then you raise your arm and it touches the ball. But the speed of the ball was insane inside the box.
“But leave Ribeiro, then go back to Peter Shalulile and give him credit for dragging the the defender to the near post. Peter dragged the defender to the near post, then leave Ribeiro, leave Peter, complement Mudau for making a pass and not a cross.
“That’s why I always say football players are geniuses, they are geniuses who think with their feet. It needs a lot of training, a lot of understanding to execute that.
“But in the end of the day after you’ve put all ingredients, the one who enjoys the soup, simply says the soup was nice.”
