We were happy with how we played last season and the development within the players – Rulani Mokwena.

Mamelodi Sundowns is gearing up for their first DStv Premiership match of the 2023/24 season when they travel to Polokwane to meet with Sekhukhune United. As the anticipation for the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) season reaches fever pitch, the defending champions Head Coach Rulani Provided insightful feedback on the team’s preparations for the upcoming season, stating that this season’s competition is going to be grueling.

“We are excited because we understand how difficult it is going to be, all the games will be tough. It’s going to be a season where we are definitely gonna be tested, we are the hunted this season and everyone wants to beat us. We will look forward to defending our Premiership and showing the qualities that we have as the defending champions. Every single match [will be played] with a lot of consistency and a lot of quality in our performances so that we can once again defend the dstv Premiership.”

“All the 15 teams in the league are going to be very difficult, all the rivals, especially the teams that finished in the top eight have made incredible investments in their squads. Kaizer Chiefs are a lot stronger this season and they are going to create a lot of problems for a lot of teams. SuperSport [United] have made great investments. Orlando Pirates are a lot stronger and have signed some very good players. AmaZulu have got a new coach with great experience and of course a good pedigree. Cape Town City look a lot stronger with the players that they brought in. Sekhukhune United are strong and they finished very strong last season.” 

“[Moroka] Swallows finished very strong last season and they’ll be a very competitive side, so all the games for us are going to be very difficult including games against newly-promoted sides like Polokwane City and Cape Town Spurs. We’ve got to focus on ourselves, look to compete against ourselves and try to make sure that we set very high standards and benchmarks that will allow us to maintain good levels of performances and hopefully that stimulates consistency amongst us. and the majority of our focus this season is on ourselves and trying to do our best.”

Masandawana’s Coach shed light on the team’s detailed preparations and his vision for the season ahead after signing notable names during the transfer window. Coach Rulani also mentioned the challenges posed by their rivals, and the role of new recruits in shaping the team’s destiny. “The season looks extremely competitive not only because of the improvement of some of the teams in the league, [but] a lot of our rivals have strengthened their squads. They’ve improved their teams with some very good players, of course we’ve done the same, we’ve improved the squad with players like [Junior] Mendieta, Lesiba Nku and Lucas Ribeiro.”

“These are really, really players that give us different options from a formation perspective and positional perspective. We also have the return of some of the players that were out on loan like Divine [Lunga], Samy Seabi and Jody [February ], they are part of the squad for this season.”

Coach Rulani passionately expressed his confidence in the new players that they signed and the players that have been sidelined due to knocks during the season, he said: “The return from difficult injuries with Lebohang Mabo and Rivaldo Coetzee that also feels like these are new players that can assist us in the season. [Thapelo] Maseko comes into that space for sure with the qualities that will allow us to adopt certain structures and schemes and give certain qualities you know. But we know that we’ve got about 65 games all in all the season and about 35 weeks and that means very minimal training times so that’s why we had to use this period to do a lot of tactics and work on our structures and our organizational forms.”

With a focus on fostering a culture of growth and resilience, Coach Rulani emphasized the importance of the supporters to propel the team forward, he said: “Supporters can look forward to an improved team. We were happy with how we played last season and the development within the players and the performances gave us a lot of confidence to build from that and then of course we want to improve and get better. An improved sundowns this season with some very good players. The players that we brought in not only help to improve the quality and the depth but also improve the quality and give us different options in the playing style and in the different schemes.” 

“I am very excited and we look forward to playing for the yellow nation and representing them as best as we possibly can. My messages for them is to come in numbers. I think that’s what these players deserve, this group deserves to be supported every single day with a full  stadium, especially the home games where we have to be a lot more dominant, a lot more vibrant, a lot more energetic and a lot more united. I think that is what is gonna push us through this season, ours is to give them more than they deserve and what we know we have to do in terms of representing them, but my message to them is for them to to assist us in what’s going to be a very, very difficult season. The drum has got to beat a little bit faster and a little bit harder with a little bit more enthusiasm and energy because it’s the drum that drives us. Without them we don’t have a chance to be able to beat any of our rivals [and that’s why] we look forward to sharing the pitch with them and creating incredible moments with them this season.”