After six weeks, Polokwane City, sitting in third place in the South African league, remains a serious contender for the top spot, even defeating last year’s champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, with a 1-0 score.
Head coach Phuti Mohafe humbly responded to the praise he received from the media:
“It is not only about me; it’s about the whole technical team and supporting staff and how we do things in the team. When you look at it, we allow ourselves to grow, and for us to grow, we must keep a good relationship among ourselves.”
“As for that perceived lack of respect for my work, I couldn’t care less because I think the work I am doing here at the club, with the support of the technical team and management, speaks volumes for us as a team. I don’t care who says what about me; I am working here at Polokwane City, and I am surrounded by good coaches. It is not about me but the whole technical team.”
This week, Polokwane City also managed a victory over Royal AM, bringing them to 13 points with four wins, one draw, and one loss.
Their only loss was against Orlando Pirates, who have had an impressive start to the season. Following Sundowns’ defeat, their head coach, Manqoba Mngqithi, shared his thoughts on Mohafe:
“I noticed right away that this boy has attention to detail. He has a lot to offer South African football, and our relationship has always been very good. I am very optimistic that he will make it because he understands and loves the game and has a keen eye for detail.”
“Honestly, if you look at this team—and I’m not sure who does their recruitment—you’ll see they have many very good players, and they deserve credit for that. I was speaking to someone far removed from this match, and I said one of the teams that has recruited very well is Polokwane City. I believe they are going to be a big threat.”
“You will always have concerns about how they will perform, but I always knew they would be a threat. They have a strong team and a very good coach who I respect greatly, and we are very close.”
