Mamelodi Sundowns are in the middle of trying to make the best of an uncertain situation as they adjust to the changes in their fixture schedule. The team was forced to cancel travel plans to Algeria at the last minute following communication from CAF that the scheduled game against CR Belouizdad had been cancelled due to further medical restrictions in Algeria. The game was due to take place on Tuesday 23 February 2021, before it was cancelled.
As such the team did not participate in any football over the past weekend, as the scheduled DStv Premiership match against Maritzburg United was postponed to allow for the team to travel to Algeria.
Coach Rulani was able to provide comments on the current situation and the current mindframe of the team as they adjust to the change: “Whenever there is a change in the program it puts a spanner in the works, the reality is that everyone wants to work in a way where everything is pre-planned and then we can navigate our way through the program that has been sent, particularly because we are quite big on our periodisation. When we plan, we plan for cycles that are within the program of the entire season. It’s not just one game [that has been changed], it becomes about adapting to the cycle so that it fits into the next one.”
Coach Mokwena also shared that the team is choosing to remain optimistic and use this break from football as an opportunity for improvement: “Unfortunately, it is what it is, the best thing we can try to do is to have the right perspective. It is now clear that we have two games sitting in our pockets for a little bit later in the season, we just have to adapt.”
“We just have to work towards allowing ourselves enough time to improve the team, we know that we have a lot of things to improve, our schemes need to improve, our performances need to get better. We have a bit of time to recoup and refresh the team and work to make sure that physically we are fresh and ready to go for the next cycle. The way we play, the game demands a lot of physical execution from us.”
The team returned to training over the weekend and will now turn their attention to their next scheduled game, the Nedbank Cup Last 16 encounter against Polokwane City.
It’s very crucial that the Team remains positive and motivated, we are Big Club now and such challenges should not be a problem.
When you play Big League’s year in and year out this is the kind of mind shifting that should be dealt with easily.
I like the fact that we have three coaches sitting in the bench strengthening each others knowledge of soccer.
That alone helps reach each and every players heart ❤ which makes all of them feeling free and play their normal football no matter which pressure the team is facing