For those who show little or no confidence in Mamelodi Sundowns, Ronwen Williams warns that it is too early to write off the reigning South African league champions.
Masandawana are gunning for an unprecedented and record-extending eight league crown on the spin, and Williams is confident that the Chloorkop-based campaigners will defend their title this season, despite the circulating shadow of doubt.
In the infant stages of the 2024/25 campaign, Downs have had a limp start in the MTN8 where they scrapped past Polokwane City via an own goal only to succumb to Stellenbosch in back-to-back semi-finals.
Steve Barker’s side beat Manqoba Mngqithi’s team 1-0 in the first and second-leg to set up a final meeting with defending champions Orlando Pirates.
There have been mixed opinions about Sundowns’ style of play under new head coach Mngqithi, who has insisted on more wing play and a faster advance to goal compared to the slow build-up play instilled by his predecessor Rhulani Mokwena.
WATCH: Fans level criticism at Manqoba Mngqithi
Under the new Wydad Casablanca coach, Sundowns won the league with a record extending 73 points and lost just a single game.
Sundowns reached the CAF Champions League semi-finals and won the inaugural African Football League. However, the biggest blemish was losing two domestic cup finals against rivals Pirates.
“At the beginning it was very difficult because we were all very close to him and we achieved greatness and the club took a different direction,” Williams told Hollywoodbets Brand Ambassador Robert Marawa.
The Masandawana senior player and seasoned goalkeeper has come to the defence of Mngqithi’s philosophy, wagging a finger at naysayers. However, Williams admits that the transition from Mokwena’s leadership to Mngqithi’s hand has not been easy.
“Yes it is going to be difficult in the beginning but we are going to see what other people can’t see and we are one step away from being the Sundowns that people know. We can see it in the training and even in the games. We have been so unlucky with the games that we played.
“Sometimes when setbacks happen so early it is for greater things to come so people should be careful to write us off too early. I am glad that it happened so early because now it is going to ignite something in us.
“Knowing this team and how crazy we are over winning, we crave that all the time and we want to be the best in everything. Now we have lost out (on the MTN8) and you will see the anger and a different Sundowns in the next few weeks,” he added.
"He is an amazing guy - straight to the point. He does not have too many talks."
“He tries to get his point across quickly as possible and makes things simple. He has his own way of doing things and we need to adjust an we have to adjust, and we have been adjusting as a team,” said the 2024 Yashin Award nominee.
“Things are getting better and I watched them when we got knocked out (of the MTN8) and to see his response – and he has been so calm and he highlighted all the good things that we did and the bad things, but the good overweigh the bad but no one would see it that way.
“I like the direction that he is taking because it is easy to come and criticise the players but it is not as bad as people thing and we can’t wait for welcome our internationals back so we can get our season moving,” Williams added.
Sundowns, meanwhile, will miss out in Betway Premiership action this weekend as they will take on Mbabane Swallows on Saturday in the Champions League group stage qualifiers. Downs will begin their title defence four days later against crosstown rivals SuperSport United.
