The debate about the state of football in the DStv Premiership has been ongoing for some time as defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns appear to be on course to win the title once again.
Various pundits have discussed the topic and while some have argued that the Brazilians have been the best in identifying and signing players who are suitable for their style, others have questioned the standard for some clubs in Mzansi's topflight.
Whatever the case might be, there is no taking away from the great work that Rulani Mokwena and Downs' technical team are doing, which is evident for everyone to see on the field week-in and week-out.
Football legend Julius Sono has weighed in on the interesting topic.
I Have Seen Too Many 'Accidents' In The PSL
"When we talk about the standard of football in South Africa, it's true that it has dropped over the years. Football these days is not the same as back in the day, if we talk about the standard and quality. For me, our players are sensitive and they do not seem to perform to the best of their abilities. I'm not too sure how to put it, but it's as if clubs owe them or it's as if they are fearing of playing without benefits for life after football or something. I have seen too many accidents in the PSL and that's how I prefer to call it. Teams must avoid being involved in too many accidents and they must try and exercise fair play at all times on the field. I have seen a lot of good coaches in South Africa but I think the game is now evolving and young coaches are being introduced and that's good for football," said Sono.
Rulani and Downs' technical team mastering their craft
"Talking of Sundowns, I would like to firstly congratulate everyone who has been behind and in support of my son, Coach Rulani. He is the young mind in front of old minds and veteran minds and legends' minds. Secondly, the team has been doing great as everyone can see and that's all I will say for now. They have got a good team there and you can say it's team A, B, C and D. For me, if all the clubs can be like that and have at least four players for each position the standard would improve," Sono added.
Comparison Between Pirates And Chiefs
"The measurement of passes plays a big role in football and that is important and when adding combination play to that it becomes even great. When I check Orlando Pirates, their combination play is better than that of Chiefs. But they are not playing to create enough goals. They tend to take too many touches before they reach to where the goals are and there aren't too many 'eish' moments on the field because the players take too long to get in front of goals," Sono added.
Chiefs' Zwane And '10111' Formation
"Talking about Kaizer Chiefs, that is a powerful club but what I am seeing lacking in them these days is the combinations. I see players taking too many touches before passing the ball to a teammate and that's not the Chiefs way of playing. I am used to the Chiefs' teams of old which used to master combination plays. But Arthur (Zwane) is winning games through playing the '10111' formation. If you don't understand what I mean by '10111' formation, I'm talking about the same way that led to their goal against Pirates. The own goal by the Pirates' dreadlocked defender (Olisa Ndah) was from Arthur's '10111' formation. Chiefs used the '10111' formation to beat Pirates. No combination play, the ball was kicked from nowhere and when the defender tried to defend it, he turned it into the back of his own net, unfortunately," the ex-Pirates star added.
Take Development Seriously
"One of the ways to help fix South African football would be to take development seriously. Players should be selected based on their talents and be used according to their capabilities. For example, players come from different backgrounds and they can't be expected to be at the same level and play in the same way. Players should be allowed to express themselves using their natural skills but it should be done in a way that would suit everyone and benefit the team. If the coach decides to play two-tough football, that's fine and as long as everyone plays in the same way, it becomes a rhythm. If the coach decides that slow build-ups are needed to then increase the pace as the game goes on, that is also fine as long as everyone is on the same page," Sono concluded.
Why have PSL clubs struggled to match Sundowns' success in recent years? Let us know in the comments below!
