Advantage Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates? Mamelodi Sundowns legend concedes Masandawana are not up to the task – 'It's not going to be easy'

Mamelodi Sundowns legend Roger Feutmba has conceded the Premier Soccer League defending champions will have a rough journey this season.  

The retired midfielder has warned that Downs cannot rely on their past glory and stated that the team needs to reorganise and focus to prevent things from going further south.

"By the look of things, it's not going to be easy; there are no straightforward games. Perhaps we are taking things for granted a bit, considering our success in the past. We may be losing focus," Feutmba told KickOff. 

"We need to come back together and ensure we reset our minds. We can't rely solely on our past achievements," he added.

"We must continue to work hard to perform better than we did last season. We need to reorganise ourselves because something seems to be missing in our game, which could make this season difficult for us."

Feutmba has asked his former club to return to their traditional principles as they attempt to get their season on the right track.

"However, I have faith in the players and the management we have. In football, there are no easy games; it's just that in the past, we were more committed than we are now. We wanted to win more than other teams," he added.  

"The technical team must ensure we stick to what we know, as Sundowns has a strong identity that has shaped our success. We have to return to our core principles to maintain our performance like we have over the years," he stated. 

"I believe we can still win the league this season, but everyone at the club must reset their mindset, including management, the coach, and the players." 

While results on the pitch are not as impressive as expected, the Tshwane giants have an even bigger off-pitch issue: the transfer saga of their star Lucas Ribeiro, who is eager to leave, but the club is not entertaining such.

Although Pirates lost their two opening league games, they have dusted themselves off and gone ahead to register two straight wins, and this is in addition to the MTN8 campaign, where they are in the final.  

Chiefs remain unbeaten, although they dropped points when they met Sundowns in midweek and registered a goalless draw.

The win on Saturday against Stellenbosch could, however, be the turning point for the Brazilians.

Only wins will ensure they gather the right momentum that will eventually help them defend the PSL title.  

As the scrutiny on Masandawana continues, head coach Miguel Cardoso's future remains a subject of speculation. So long as Sundowns underperform, the Portuguese will be sitting on the edge, given how impatient the club's hierarchy is at times when the team struggles.