- Mahlangu is concerned by Sundowns’ big spending
- Ex-Chiefs midfielder feels Bafana are victims of this
- Mahlangu wants the Brazilians’ deep pockets checked
WHAT HAPPENED? Mahlangu believes Sundowns’ dominance of the PSL is not helping the league grow while also affecting the national team.
He pointed to the Brazilians’ big spending which has made it difficult for rival sides to compete with them in the transfer market, singling out a number of top players from the club who would be starters elsewhere, but hardly get a look in at Masandawana.
Mahlangu feels that is dangerous not only for the league but also for Bafana Bafana who should have their best players featuring regularly for various teams and not competing for minutes at one club.
There have been calls for the PSL to cap spending in the league, akin to Uefa’s Financial Fair Play as a way of checking Sundowns’ deep pockets, and Mahlangu is also in support of this.
WHAT DID HE SAY? "Sundowns are destroying the PSL and Bafana Bafana,” Mahlangu said on Twitter.
“One team is winning endlessly. Financial Fair Play must be placed on them. Top players like [Lesedi] Kapinga, [Mosa] Lebusa, [Rivaldo] Coetzee remain in the stands. They should be playing. It is affecting the PSL and Bafana."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Sundowns have proved untouchable from their rivals, winning seven of the last 10 PSL titles, and are on course to make it six in a row as they hold a 16-point lead over second-placed Richards Bay having won 12 games on the bounce.
However, the Brazilians have been accused of ‘buying’ success given the way they splash big on top talent from the PSL and around the world.
Rival coaches and fans have expressed concerns over the club’s spending which they feel is killing competition. SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt was the latest to weigh in on the issue, saying the rest will always be playing for second spot since even Sundowns’ kit man earns more that their players.
WHAT’S NEXT? Mahlangu’s sentiments will reignite the debate on whether the PSL should introduce a cap on spending while Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena is likely to face the issue again in his next press conference.
