Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena says he’s still expecting more from Thembinkosi Lorch after his January deadline day move from Orlando Pirates.
Lorch, 30, bagged a brace in their 2-0 win over Maritzburg United to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup on Sunday evening.
It was his fifth start for the club, where Mokwena stated he was being eased into the integration of the squad – but he now appears to be staking a claim for his place in the starting eleven – even though the coach still wants more from his new signing.
“Lorch, am I happy, no. But I’m quietly contempt and he knows I want more,” Mokwena told journalists after the game.
“That’s from everybody, I want more from Gaston [Sirino], I want more from [Matias] Esquivel, I want more from Bongani Zungu, I want more from Thebza [Mokoena], I want more from Marcelo [Allende].
“I want more, I’m always that guy. I want more from myself. I hold myself to very, very high standards and therefor I demand a lot from my players, too.
Mokwena reiterated that he asked for more from Lorch and the rest of his players at half-time when the game was still deadlogged at 0-0.
“I asked for more and half-time and you can tell by the huskiness of my voice, so I think we played well, I really do – even in the in the first 18 minutes before that with the weather conditions, I thought we were playing well,” he replied to iDiski Times.
“But no incision, not hurting the opponents, good possession, good control. No chances for the opponents, except one or two balls over the top. But apart from that, I thought we were good but but still not good enough.
“So when we had a bit of a break, I asked for more and I think the intensity increased towards half-time and then at half-time I asked for more from that not lower, and I thought the second half was a bit more braver.
“We took more risks, we we made more box entries, we tried more. So I’m happy with the performance and to be honest I’m very happy that we are in the next round and I think that’s all that matters in cup competitions.”
