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Showing posts from 2020

Tshabalala Beats Klopp To Dethrone Wenger

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  By Malose Wa Ga Lamola Contrary to a popular opinion that Safa National Women's League (SNWL) is a bit easy for a formidable Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies side, Sundowns star Morifi Chuene, argues that the public tends to read too much in results than performances. In her interview with ShakingInk, the speedy attacker backs her arguments. Chuene says despite Sundowns dominance in the SNWL, the league is not a walk in the park. "It was not easy at all. We had to grind for results most of the time because at one point we trailed 2-0, (We) had to come back and win the game 3-2. We beat Richmond ladies 7-0 at home but away we only won by a one goal margin (1-0)." Said Chuene. Without stretching the truth Chuene can't be red-carded for believing Sundowns 'invincibles' campaign doesn't necessarily mean the league is not competitive enough. In 2003/04 season Arsene Wenger led Arsenal to the famous unbeaten streak, a feat that is still talked about today. The English

PSL Teams Massacre

By Malose Wa Ga Lamola The willing buyer-willing seller principle is not good for the auctioning of professional football club status on two grounds. Firstly it nullifies the competitiveness of the league, secondly rebranding erases the heritage and history of the selling club. It is hard to fathom how a series of football clubs massacre led by business people is being normalised. The gratuitous killings of the clubs in South Africa is scary, it is worse than a horror movie. These predators are not discriminatory though, they'll feast on the old and the new alike. The oldies, Mpumalanga Black Aces and Bidvest Wits were slaughtered, the newly born Maccabi also suffered the same fate. When their bank balances overflow they don't show no mercy. Everyone can fall prey to these loaded predators. But a season after one team has been swallowed up, peace returns in the playing field like nothing has happened. Can we flatten the curve? Related Story : Bought, Renamed And Relocat

Bounouar: Moroccans Are In Love With Pitso

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By Malose Wa Ga Lamola It wasn't a surprise to see Mamelodi Sundowns tying down Pitso Mosimane to a further four years. He is a serial winner after all and fulfills president Patrice Motsepe' wishes. Mosimane had a strong entrance to the African scene and was supremely confident. Coming from a national team set up, he was far from a new kid on the block. He might have been a complete manager when he joined Sundowns in 2012 but Mosimane always has an army of doubters. But nothing beats numbers and stats to turn doubters into believers. Mosimane' unprecedented Caf Champions League victory and league quadruple arm twisted his critics to accept he is a man on a mission. His success at the Tshwane based outfit has been unreal. One of the greatest debates in football is the dominance in the Champions league. Mosimane ticks all the right boxes in that category. Now that the dust has settled. ShakingInk  caught up with a BBC Africa football journalist based in Casablan

Sundowns Can't Afford To Be Homeless

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By Malose Wa Ga Lamola Mining magnate and Mamelodi Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe, has turned his side into one of the power houses of African club football and should be credited for his great efforts. Sundowns is still ‘homeless’ though. The Brazilians are arguably an international brand now but everyone has a home. A team of Sundowns’ calibre can't afford to share a stadium with a rugby side such as the Blue Bulls. The two teams have been using Loftus Versveld stadium as their home base for both football and rugby matches respectively. If not in Hatfield using Bulls dressing room, then they are in Atteredgeville swapping change rooms with cross town PSL rivals Supersport United. A team that worth €15.20 million (over R293.2 million) in today's exchange rate can't afford to be gallivanting around Tshwane, because it is too expensive to do. Related Story: Caf Pays Wits And Downs Sundowns is a Mamelodi brand and should play their home matches at home. The

Wits And Sundowns To Cash In

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By Malose Wa Ga Lamola Suspension of the Absa Premiership has come at a huge cost with sponsors freezing finances during national lockdown, but Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits can breath a sigh of relief, as Caf prepares to release funds earlier than anticipated. Caf usually pays off  intercontinental club competitions at the end of the season but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the football governing body decided to pay out a little earlier this time. Wits qualified to play in the Caf second tier competition by virtue of finishing third on the domestic log standings. Related Story : Why Sundowns Loan Out Development Graduates? Though, the then Bidvest Wits CEO Jose Ferreira is on record saying the confederations cup is not a 'priority' for The Clever Boys because of its financial straining, now the club will be smiling all the way to the Bidvest bank. "The costs of the Confederation Cup are a lot bigger than the costs of participating in the CAF Champi

Kubheka: Senong Has What It Takes

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By Malose Wa Ga Lamola The outbreak of Covid-19 has brought the entire world to its knees. What a perfect spot to pray. Survival has become the order of the day, where even the fittest stands no chance but the most adaptable. To survive, one needs to invent new ways to adapt. Though football is suspended indefinitely footballers have to remain active and be ready for when the season resumes. Fitness is a top priority in every spotting quote. To be on top of your game, one needs to be both physically and mentally fit. For oxygen to navigates its way to the brain, one needs to remain active even behind closed doors. In an Exclusive interview with ShakingInk , Mamelolodi Sundowns Reserve side goalkeeper, Khulekani Kubheka says he has drawn his personal training schedule to keep fit during national lockdown. "I just have my own (training program) that I follow to help myself stay active and stay fit, I also try to eat well so I don't get out of shape." Said Kubheka.

It Take Balls To Be A Woman

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By Malose Wa Ga Lamola Women in sports are subjected to all kinds of discrimination but abuse has to be the most unbearable of them all. Emotional abuse runs deep like still water. Apart from the partriarchal system womem uphold on a daily basis, they are on the bottom rung. Men are egotistical, this patriarchal social system is a product of the male ego. Perhaps it only existed in my fantasy world where people are judged on merit rather than their sexuality. Excellence knows no gender and so should judgement. Men should learn not to nurse their egos in the expense of women. Number one women's ranked national team in the world, united States of America, is still on the battle field over an equal gender salaries. With four FIFA Women's World Cup titles under their belt, US Women footballers should be earning fat salaries like their male counterparts. US Women's Soccer National Team (USWNT) took the Federation to the US district court of law seeking the rule of law

Absa Premiership An Empty Nest

By Malose Wa Ga Lamola One of the oldest South African football clubs that has stood the test of time, Moroka Swallows, though not eligible to use their first name due to some contractual complications is on the verge of ascending to the skies of the PSL. The Birds are about to take off from GladAfrica Championship, but their much anticipated landing has been derailed by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, that saw the world coming to a standstill. Also Read : Chiefs The Luckiest Team Orlando Pirates can't wait to rekindle their rivalry with Swallows should the old foe return to the elite league. With a mere seven points adrift of table toppers, Ajax Cape Town, Maswaiswai can still see a light at the end of the tunnel. Given their spot on the log standings, even if Swallows doesn't gain automatic promotion to the PSL, there is still a life line in the promotional/relegation play offs. The people of Soweto might settle for the Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs

Will Chiefs Benefit Again?

By Malose Wa Ga Lamola The narration of Kaizer Chiefs benefitting from referee blunders, has been one of the dominating lines all season long. With the current campaign suspended due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, will The Glamour Boys benefit should the season not resume? It is becoming an international trend to ask for leagues to declare teams at the top as champions, with Chiefs currently in the driving seat locally. Also Read: Taking Sundowns To Infinity And Beyond Can the PSL board of governors give Chiefs the 'big ears' with seven games to go? Declaring the season null and void will also hit many in the pockets. Supporters have spent their hard-earned pennies on tickets and taxi fares to stadiums. Sponsors have coughed out millions to keep the league running. The only beneficiaries in this scenario will be Mamelodi Sundowns. Downs will retain the Absa Premiership title if the season is declared null and void. With all these uncertainties at play, the