Mamelodi Sundowns co-head coach Rulani Mokwena has singled Themba Zwane out for praise among his in-form teammates.
The 2019/20 PSL Footballer of the Year looks in superb form so far this season, helping his team to collect five wins and one draw in six games in the DStv Premiership.
Mshishi was involved in seven games for Masandawana in 2021/22, playing five matches in the league and two games in the MTN 8 Cup, where Downs have reached the final and Mokwena insisted the team is playing better when ‘Mshishi’ is smiling.
“On Themba Zwane, I think look what Zwane gives this team is what we want in relation to the movements in and around the box. Themba has become a lot of safer on the ball which is very good,” Mokwena told reporters.
“His intensity when we have lost possession has improved dramatical, and you see a lot of goals that we have scored this season; Mshishi has been involved in the high press and the counter press to assist the team to regain the ball and these are the signs that he has been consistently showing.
“A lot more intensive, a lot more safety on the ball and a lot more creativity in and around the box, and when Themba plays like that the team turns to orientate a lot of its attacking skills through Mshishi, and then you see Mshishi plays with the smile on his face and that is what we try to encourage him to do, to enjoy the game and to do the best that he can for the team.
“And currently that is what he is doing together with a lot of his teammates, so yeah good performance from Mshishi, but we could say the same about almost all our players today and was good to see him at times even cladding on the ball.
“And really showing a sense of an excitement, passion and enjoyment and that’s the most important thing you know when Mshishi is happy, expresses himself in a way that nobody can in this league.”
