Johannesburg — MAMELODI Sundowns were rewarded for their impressive start to the top-flight season when the domestic premiership leaders won the coach and player of the month awards yesterday.
Midfield strongman Matthew Pattison was acknowledged as the best player during August and last month, while Spanish coach Antonio Lopez Habas got the nod for his skills from the bench during the same period. They also received R10000 and soccer jerseys that will be donated to schools of their choice.
Habas said he owed his early success to the amount of time he spent on the bench as temperamental former coach Hristo Stoichkov's assistant last season.
"I know the level of the teams and the players in SA now because this is my second season here," he said. The Spaniard said he thought that quietly observing the premiership without the pressure that followed then head coach Stoichkov actually helped him lay the foundation for the good start this year.
Pattison said he believed he deserved the recognition after performing to his best since the start of the season in August.
"I have played some good stuff this season and I am also aware that I have played some bad stuff," Pattison said. "But I believe I have had more good games and that is why I think that I am on the right track to fighting for a place in the Bafana Bafana squad.
"I want to win many more trophies and that is why I came here. Hopefully this is the start of many great things and we will just have to see how the season pans out."
The duo have been instrumental in helping to keep the Brazilians at the premiership summit. Victories over Moroka Swallows (2-0), Platinum Stars (2-0), premiership title holders SuperSport United (2-1) and Santos (1-0) have helped maintain a 100% start to the campaign that their salivating supporters will hope does not come to an end anytime soon.
They remain unbeaten after conceding just one goal but a cautious Habas said he wanted to take it one game at a time before making end- of-the-season predictions.
Keeping his star-studded change room is expected to be Habas's biggest challenge as there are many players on his bench who would easily walk into the starting lineups of most sides in the premiership.
Many have been known to voice the frustration of watching from the sidelines to the media but Habas said he did not think that this would be too much of a problem for him.
"Not all the players can play in the team and the rules of Fifa are very clear about that. Only 11 players can play at any given time."
Downs' impressive start to the campaign will be put to the test when the Brazilians host Orlando Pirates at Super Stadium on Saturday.Pattison said he was happy with Habas's selection criteria and he did not think that the Spaniard treated any player unfairly, even those who might be in the cold at the moment. "(Habas) does not have favourites and everyone who works very hard at training has a fair crack."
Pirates are still on a cloud after winning the MTN8 - Pirates beat Swallows 4-2 on penalties to lift their first knockout trophy in a decade at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban two weeks ago - and it remains to be seen whether they can stop the leaders.
Source - allafrica.com