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Sundowns changes lives – Mosimane

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Downs fans celebrate the team’s win. Picture: Samuel Shivambu / Gavin Barker / BackpagePix
Downs fans celebrate the team’s win. Picture: Samuel Shivambu / Gavin Barker / BackpagePix

Pitso Mosimane says Mamelodi Sundowns change players’ lives for the better. But the Brazilians’ coach has advised his victorious charges to spend their money wisely and responsibly.

Mosimane revealed that the players were going to share the R10 million loot, after clinching the Absa Premiership title.

Sundowns have already claimed back-to-back Q-Innovation prizes – R3 million in total – along with R4.25 million for winning the Telkom Knockout.

They are also leading the Q4-Innovation standings. If they bag another R1.5 million, they will have shared a whopping R18.75 million this season alone.

“It is not a secret that we are going to share the money. The president [Patrice Motsepe] always gives it to us when we win trophies – but not for finishing second. This is an important incentive for the players to come to Sundowns,” said Mosimane.

Sundowns players in good spirits after clinching the Absa Premiership title on Wednesday. Picture: Samuel Shivambu / Gavin Barker / BackpagePix

For the coach, the most important thing is how players spend their money.

“As much as there are positives when coming to Sundowns, there are also negatives, and players need to be aware of this. For me, it is about the transformation of our boys from where they were before joining the club to where they are now.

“We change lives at Downs because players have a chance to improve themselves. You cannot be in the same space as before; you need to move forward. Your life changes when you come to Sundowns because we look after our players.

Khama Billiat helped the Brazilians to victory. Picture: Samuel Shivambu / Gavin Barker / BackpagePix

“I am happy for a player such as [Asavela] Mbekile, to see where he is now. He had played for the National First Division before joining Moroka Swallows [his former club, from which he resigned in mid-2014 to join Downs]. He has won trophies with us, drives a nice car and bought his first house. This is what we want as the club. These are the benefits of playing at the highest level. And when [Bongani] Zungu came here, he had no car. Today he drives a beautiful one and has signed a multimillion-rand deal.

“These are some positives that people do not see in us. They only say negative things, such as we are out to destroy careers when players sit on the bench.”

But Mosimane said, on the flip side, players needed to work for their money.

“So many players get opportunities at Sundowns, and end up earning too much and changing their lifestyles.

“But if you do not look after yourself, you do not make the team and then you lose everything. You have your high lifestyle to maintain, and what happens when you take a pay cut?”

His advice to players? “They know what they need to do to stay at the club and keep enjoying the benefits: play consistently, and you will stay.”

He said the club always enlisted the services of advisers to help players on financial matters. “With the kind of salaries they earn, they are entitled to personal bankers. We also bring in financial advisers to tell them how to look after their money, and build their legacies around properties and trusts.”

However, he said they always hit a brick wall with some players, who did not want to be told what to do with their money. “They say: ‘Don’t tell me anything about my money. I earn it.’ Remember, most of them are from humble backgrounds. We can only go so far – we have no control on how they should spend it. We are still struggling with that because some players consider themselves as socialites and want to be accepted, feel relevant and play the part.”

Mosimane did not recall getting a bonus after winning the title with Jomo Cosmos in 1987.

“These players are lucky and have a chance to change their lives for the better. In my day, it was not like this. We came from humble backgrounds. It was a stepping stone. I cannot complain about my life in football today as I can take my kids to school.”

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