Joburg City’s Thato Mosala: SuperSport Schools has levelled the playing field
Twelve matches into the season, the Gauteng Development League (GDL) has seen a shift as “smaller” teams have become contenders and some of those teams are leading the way on the u19 log.
Who would have thought that Randburg AFC would be sitting at the top of the log, or that Remember Elite Sport Academy, Joburg City, Jomo Cosmos, Panorama, and Wits Junior would all be in the top 11 of the standings?
After all, those are the teams that have flirted with relegation in seasons gone by.
This season, however, the tide appears to have turned as regular title challenges, among them Highlands Park, SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns – all teams that are expected to dominate – have uncharacteristically lost crucial games and struggled to be consistent.
In an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools Plus, Joburg City coach, Thato Mosala, weighed in on the unfamiliar look to the league standings.
The head coach pointed to SuperSport Schools’ investment and involvement in the league as a major reason behind the improvement in the overall competitiveness of the smaller teams.
“It all boils down to the opportunity that SuperSport Schools is giving to these boys. These boys being on the app already says a lot. When the scouts are searching, they’ll go to the SuperSport Schools app and look at the u19 division,” Mosala told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“What I changed at Joburg City is the mindset to say, we have an opportunity to grow. The u19 level is the last level of development. So, the question that I am asking my boys is, ‘Where do you want to go? What’s the next level?’
“That’s the mindset that I’ve changed with my players, to say, ‘The next level needs to be higher, and SuperSport Schools has given you guys the opportunity to be on the app. Some games are live on TV. So, you get those opportunities. Use the opportunities that you are given.’ So, I think it’s the mindset and the hunger.
Mosala joined Joburg City in July 2024 and inherited a team that sat at the very bottom of the standings. He helped them complete the season in 16th place.
When reflecting on the brilliant start to the 2025 campaign he has had with his team, which currently sits sixth on the log, with seven wins from 12 games, including victories over the defending champions Highlands Park and the highly respected School of Excellence, Mosala highlighted his unique style of scouting talent after he was forced to build a new team for the season.
“I joined Joburg City last year in July when they were struggling a lot. I found them last on the log,” he said. “In some games, I had to use u17 players because last year the Joburg City u17s were doing exceptionally well,” said Mosala.
“So, at the beginning of the season, obviously, the boys that did well went to other teams, and I had to build the team from scratch as we only had five players from last year.
“Building a team from scratch, we were looking for different types of players. First of all, we’re looking at a player’s ability on the ball, off the ball, and off the field. Is a player a good person? Is he a good person outside of football?
“Will he be able to understand the situation if he trains the whole week, but the coach’s technical plan is to play a player who trains twice, but who has a different profile? So, we looked at those factors. We looked at the aggression, the aggression on the ball, the communication, and we tried to build a team.
“It’s becoming better day by day, week by week, game by game. We now have fighters. These boys refuse to give up.”
Coming off a 0-1 loss to Jomo Cosmos last week, Mosala will lead his boys against Thokozani Mnguni‘s Rockefvs FC, a team that is high in confidence after they held Sundowns to a draw last week.
Mosala told SuperSport Schools Plus that Joburg City is expecting a tough contest on Saturday.
“I’m expecting a technically good team, a team that plays with aggression,” he said. “I’ve profiled their striker, a very, very good striker that they have, the number seven. All in all, I’m expecting a tough game.
“I’m expecting a team that’s motivated. Playing to 1-1 with Sundowns and winning 3-0 at Elspark, they’ve been having a good run.
“So, the question is, will our boys be resilient from the 0-1 loss against Cosmos, get up and say we want to fight and win the game at home? Because we only have one win at home, which is not a good stat for us.
“We’re hoping to get the second win, but let’s see if the boys will be ready for such a game.”
FIXTURES
Saturday, 24 May
Joburg City vs Rockefvs FC
Seven’s Academy vs Tuks
SuperSport United vs Jomo Cosmos
Elspark United vs Remember Elite Sport Academy
Kaizer Chiefs vs TS Galaxy
Highlands Park vs East Rand Athletic Club
Wits Junior vs Kathorus Hyper Academy
Panorama FC vs Randburg AFC
Sunday, 25 May
School of Excellence vs Mamelodi Sundowns
