Mamelodi Sundowns co-head coach Rulani Mokwena has called for better relations with Bafana Bafana, after a number of Sundowns players returned from the national camp in less than ideal condition.
Mokwena made these comments after the club’s 2-2 draw against AS Maniema in the CAF Champions League on Sunday.
Mokwena says there needs to be better communication with Bafana, as they have had problems now when their players returned from the last two camps.
“And then unfortunately also with the Bafana players,” Mokwena continued.
“I mean it’s a very, very difficult situation, because with Bafana we can’t even communicate with the medical department.
“We don’t know the itinerary of Bafana, we don’t know the training program of Bafana, we don’t get training feedback in relation to the load, there’s no data. So the cooperation between Bafana frustrates us a little bit, because in a moment as Mamelodi Sundowns, we are always the first, over the years Sundowns has always shown a willingness to support the nation, support the cause, and release as many personnel, including support structure, we’ve had Taso, we’ve had KB, we’ve had Mario we’ve had Wendell Robinson going from Sundowns to represent Bafana Bafana, so in relation to the country’s cause Mamelodi Sundowns has always put Bafana in fact in certain moments ahead of us have its own cause.
“And it’s a bit disappointing that even in the previous camp Thapelo returned and returned injured, and he’s not back yet. We still trying to get him into the groove, we gave him a couple of minutes today, because okay of course he’s returned to fitness, he’s returned to play, returned to train, but in a moment, he still is not in the right sort of competitive space to be to be ready.
“And then you have this situation of Mothobi Mvala, who is so important for us, and particularly for this African sojourn, and this assignment with his physicality, his ability to win aerial duels, and his ability to control, and and give us a bit more combatitiveness in the midfield, and he comes back from Bafana, he’s injured.
“And then Rushine De Reuck, in our previous match against Swallows doesn’t finish the game, precautionary because he’s feeling muscular complication. But then he continues to play for Bafana. Kutumela comes back, he’s jaded, he’s overloaded and comes back and struggles with the performance.
“These are some of the things that disappoint us. But okay, it is what it is, we have to continue supporting the national causes, just disappointing that the international break, with the load, and then of course, then we just don’t get any form of response, not just from the technical team, but even from the medical department.
“But ja, it is what it is. Ours is to focus on what we can focus on and try to control what we can control, and as I reiterate once again, as Mamelodi Sundowns we will always look to support the national cause, it’s just a bit disappointing that now for the last two international breaks, we receive our players and they come back with injury complications, and these are all muscular, and muscular complications then speak to you about training load, match load.
“Ja, we have to improve in that space, and see how we can get better relations between the clubs – I see Vincent Pule is also out – so something is happening in that space and I’m not quite sure what it is.”
