After former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi was criticised for wing play tactics, Augusto Palacios has come to his defence.
Mngqithi surprisingly changed Sundowns' traditional style of play, which is possession football.
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The former Golden Arrows mentor instilled a system that used wing play and speed to attack, which was in contrast to how Masandawana played under former coach Rulani Mokwena.
Although Mngqithi's stay as a head coach at the Brazilians was short-lived, his side appeared dangerous in the last third and created plenty of chances.
Legendary coach Palacios, who has managed all the big clubs, Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana, says wing play is the identity of South African football.
"When we played at the World Cup in 2010, with the intelligence of [Carlos Alberto] Parreira, we wanted to change and not play out in wings but [Siphiwe] Tshabalala scored against Mexico in the wing and we put Teko Modise on the wing in the right," Palacios revealed on the Junior Khanye Khohlwa Podcast.
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"After that the majority of clubs started to play strikers in the wing. But when I arrived here (in SA), one of the characteristics that was very strong, was the type of football in South Africa was the wings.
"Helman Mkhalele, Lebohang Mokoena etcetera, only to mention (a few). We as South Africa we're born with this talent of speed and skill in the wing. Doctor Khumalo, how many players he's taking, one against one? How many crosses? I don't say don't go to the centre but one of the characteristics as South Africa is to play to the wing and open the field. I'm happy now you can say 50 percent (of clubs) are back to the old system to play with wingers," the 72-year-old mentor added.
Under new head coach Miguel Cardoso, the Brazilians seem to be playing more through the centre, at least judging by the two games against Raja Casablanca and Stellenbosch.
