Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena reserved special praise for prodigious Sipho Mbule, who has come under some harsh criticism this season.
Mbule was amongst Sundowns' rested contingent for Tuesday's match against Maritzburg United – but the 25-year-old joined in on the celebrations with his teammates after the final whistle.
The midfielder picked up his first league winner's medal since joining Sundowns from SuperSport United at the start of the season.
After the match, Mokwena was asked about the absence of Andile Jali from the celebrations, given that he had made enough appearances to earn a medal; however, the coach used the opportunity to vindicate Mbule, who was alleged to have shown up to training under the influence of alcohol in March this year.
"The club will respond very shortly. That's a club matter," Mokwena told journalists of Jali's absence.
"Sipho Mbule was here. A lot of you linked the two together and when I rubbished the story, you said he's protecting the players.
"By the way, Sipho was also the player of the week in CAF. No one says anything. Maybe the noise is not as much as the other stuff that was said about the poor boy, Sipho was trending.
"Can we trend about the good things? He was amazing in Casablanca, incredible for someone who comes to training and was not in a good state.
"I said to you that it's incorrect and a lie and people said that I am protecting him – it is my responsibility for sure, but it was incorrect, and it was a big lie," he continued.
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