Match Day Six Preview | Gauteng Development League
Mamelodi Sundowns has been a dominant force in the Gauteng Development League in 2024 and their dominance is vividly displayed in the standings, where they are top of the log and unbeaten through the first five rounds of the competition.
Moreover, their ladies’ team, which competes in the Gauteng Women’s Development League, is in peak form, with their results echoing the same lofty standards that have been set from the under-13 division up to the Premier Soccer League team, which is through to the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League.
Surprise Moriri, the under-19 side’s coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus the secret behind their success is a culture of excellence that has been established at the club.
Morris said that the club owner and current president, Patrice Motsepe, is the catalyst behind those high standards.
“It’s the culture that has been created at Sundowns,” said Moriri. “When the president took over, he said he wanted to make this team the best team in Africa. And everyone can see that is where the club is headed.
“We don’t celebrate coming second. Even if you come second in the league or you lose a game, you feel it.
“For us, as academy coaches, and everyone who is involved with the ladies’ team, we all know that at Sundowns we expect only the best. Even the ground curator here knows that only the highest of standards is expected. Whoever is in a leadership position knows that success is non-negotiable,” he added.
Moriri, a former Sundowns’ captain, understands the danger of instilling a “win-at-all-costs” mentality. The 44-year-old said that the club strikes a perfect balance between winning games of football and prioritising the development of players, which is their main objective as academy coaches.
“While we are still trying to instil a winning mentality, there must be a balance in terms of developing the players and winning. It is a very thin line. You might cross that line, focus only on winning, but you will find out that when the players get to the next level they are still way behind in terms of the understanding of the game,” he continued.
“That is my driving force as an academy coach, to ensure that when these boys go up a level, they are ready. We take pride in terms of that as academy coaches, especially if you are working for Sundowns, because players cannot leave Sundowns and be in a situation where they are still learning. That is the standard that Sundowns has set in the country and the continent at large.”
After a hard-earned victory over the defending champions, Highlands Park, this past weekend, Sundowns take on an even steeper challenge as they brace for back-to-back fixtures this weekend. They face Tuks on Saturday, before a visit to Jomo Cosmos on Sunday.
Moriri said that despite the tough opposition that awaits, Sundowns will stick to their guns and focus on themselves as a team instead of dwelling on their opponents.
“I’ve watched Tuks quite a bit. They are a good and well-coached team, but we know what to expect from them,” said Moriri.
“But when we do our analysis, it’s about us and less about the opponents because, if you focus too much on the opponents, you will most likely lose yourself.
“Even when we do our corrections coming from the game against Highlands Park, I know that everyone will think we played well because we won 2-0, but I know that we lost too many balls and played too many long balls. That’s what we are fixing this week, going into the Tuks and Jomo Cosmos games.
“What I did like, though, was the mobility of our players. The circulation of the ball and the interchanging of possession was a lot quicker.
“It’s just that our decision-making was not spot-on in the last third. We created enough opportunities to score more than two goals. So, that’s what we’re working on.”
In other games, East Rand Athletic Club and School of Excellence host Rosina Sedibane and Remember Elite Sports Academy (RESA) on Saturday respectively.
Sevens Academy welcomes Randburg AFC, while SuperSport United tackles Panorama FC.
NWU Vaal visits TX Galaxy and Wits Junior plays at home against Kathorus Hyper Academy.
In their Saturday match, Jomo Cosmos faces Highlands Park, and Kaizer Chiefs does battle with Joburg City.
