I predicted that Mamelodi Sundowns would make a spectacular move in the close season and it seems they have done just that with the signing of Hristo Stoichkov as Head Coach on a two year contract. He will take over from Ted Dumitru who had taken charge of the club on a caretaker basis.
This is the second very high profile coach Sundowns have roped in having parted ways with Henri Michel who was unable to complete a full season at the club. Stoichkov made his name as a player when he was part of Johan Cryuff’s ‘dream team’ at Barcelona that won four league championships in a row and a European Champions Cup in 1992.
He was also named European Player of The Year and was the top goal scorer at the USA ’94 FIFA World Cup which earned him the Golden Boot Award. Unfortunately it seems as if his signing was preceded by allegations of match fixing at his previous Romanian club after his charges drew a match under very controversial circumstances.
The draw was enough to secure them the league title. His signing ranks alongside that of Rudi Krol, the Dutch legend who is currently coach of Orlando Pirates FC. Also, very well done to Bafana Bafana for putting up a brave fight and only going down to a very late free kick goal by Dani Alves in the semi-final of the Confed Cup against Brazil. Being knocked out at this stage is an achievement for a team of which very little was expected. Now they get a second crack at Spain in the third place play-off match.
Bafana Bafana’s continued participation should maintain the public’s interest in the tournament and hopefully be a drawcard for people to fill the stadium for this match. However, all this news has been dwarfed by the death of the pop megastar Michael Jackson who died yesterday.
It just goes to show again that there are other things in life that are more important than football. Interestingly enough this is not the first time this pop legend has upstaged soccer. In the early nineties the Sao Paolo leg of his worldwide concert tour forced the big Paulista derby between Sao Paolo FC and Palmeiras to be moved to another venue as the giant Morumbi stadium, Sao Paolo’s home ground had been hired out for Michael Jackson concert.
I remember Tele Santana, then the coach of Sao Paolo, saying that he couldn’t understand how the Paulista could be moved from the Morumbi to accommodate a pop star. Unfortunately, it seems that the climax of the Confed Cup may have to take a back seat to the media frenzy around Michael Jackson’s death.
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July 5, 2009 at 7:27 am
Sundowns management are not doing justice to the club. Motsepe’s a good business man, he has business mind, but football wise, he’s not good. It’s a good thing to invite Hristo Stoichkov to help the team, but this is South Africa. The guy will be frustrated like other coaches who tried. Motsepe’s problem is, he does not have faith to his fellow South Africans, especially blacks. He trust whites and worship their decisions yet they kill his mission. Instead of looking outside for a coach, he should have checked on what he has, the likes of Harries and Ngomane, not Ted. Ted is poisoning his thoughts and come the new coach, if Ted’s still there, there will be no results. Ted should go and after the failure of the new coach, Harries and Ngomane should take over, they’re a good combination and do away with those who will milk money and leave no trails of development but chaos. TED must just go, Motsepe should not be deceived by his sweet tongue, he’s trouble.
July 5, 2009 at 7:49 am
True, you can not buy players for the sake of disturbing other clubs. They are not only destroying football, they are also destroying young promising players by dangling a carrot. Sundowns should stop frustrating these players by sitting them on the bench for the whole season, we want to see them in action, other clubs will use them!
February 13, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Posting now , about 7 months later , and it looks like hiring Stoichkov was a good move.Sundowns 4 matches to go , Supersport have three.Supersport must draw at least one match for Sundowns to have a chance.
Nail-biting stuff!!