Mamelodi Sundowns F.C.

Mamelodi Sundowns
Full name Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club
Nickname(s) The Brazilians, Bafana Bastyle, Kabo Yellow, Downs
Founded 1970
Ground Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Ground Capacity 51,762
Owner Patrice Motsepe
Manager Pitso Mosimane
League ABSA Premiership
2014–15 ABSA Premiership, 2nd
Old logo

Mamelodi Sundowns are a South African soccer club based in Pretoria that plays in the Premier Soccer League.

Since the inception of the PSL in 1996 Sundowns have won the league title a record six times. Sundowns are owned by billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe. The club's nickname, The Brazilians, is a reference to their uniforms, which echo those of the Brazilian national team.

History

Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club originated from Marabastad, a cosmopolitan area North West of the Pretoria CBD.

The club was originally formed in the early 1960s by a group of youngsters, among them were Reginald Hartze, Joey Lawrence and Bernard Hartze, to mention but a few, and it became an official football club in 1970.

The club was affiliated to the Federation Professional Soccer League in 1973 and the same year reached the finals of the Coca-Cola Cup where they played against Berea United and lost 5–3.

In 1978, the Federation Professional Soccer League threw their weight behind the then National Professional Soccer League. This meant the end of the Federation Professional Soccer League and the subsequent relegation of Sundowns to the second division.

For five years 'Downs battled to gain promotion and during that period the Sundowns management resolved to disband the club but instead the club relocating to Mamelodi in the early 1980s.

In 1984 South African football was the first sport to become non-racial and the National Soccer League was formed incorporating the top clubs in the country.

Sundowns earned promotion to the NSL in 1985 but in their first season in top-flight football, they found the going difficult until Zola Mahobe came on board and appointed Ben Segale as their coach.

In 1988, the ownership of the club fell in the hands of Standard Bank, which repossessed the club from Mr. Zola Mahobe. The club was under liquidation and a football family Angelo and Natasha Tsichlas spoke to the Bank and saved the club. They then formed a company with Abe Krok and bought 100% of the club.Under the Tsichlas/Krok leadership Sundowns become the best team in South Africa.They won the first NSL League Trophy with Angelo Tsichlas as a Coach.

Sundowns enjoyed a golden period of success as from the beginning of the 90s that saw them pick up many trophies and three consecutive PSL titles (the PSL replaced the NSL at the start of the 1996–97 season) from 1998 to 2000 as well as being Bob Save Super Bowl winners in 1998 and Rothmans Cup winners in 1999.

The club reached the final of the 2001 CAF Champions League, their best performance in continental competition, where they were defeated 4–1 on aggregate by Egyptian club Al Ahly. Under Tsichlas the team became the best in South Africa and won more trophies than any other team in the country.

In 2004, mining magnate Patrice Motsepe bought 51% shares in the club and later he took total control of the club by buying the remaining shares and thus became the sole owner and shareholder of the club.

Sundowns under the new owner picked up their first piece of silverware for six years in May 2006 when co-coaches Miguel Gamondi and Neil Tovey oversaw Sundowns' triumph in the PSL, the seventh league title in their history.

After a slow start to the 2006–07 season, Gamondi and Tovey were relieved of their positions and Gordon Igesund took over as head coach. Under Igesund, Sundowns defended their title in emphatic style, running away with the trophy. They failed to win the 'double' losing to Ajax Cape Town in the 2007 ABSA Cup final.

After a stuttering start to the 2009–10 season, an impressive run through the second half of the season saw the club to second position in the final league standings. The club nevertheless parted ways with coach Hristo Stoichkov.

In the 2010–11 season, Antonio Lopez Habas, who was the assistant coach under Stoichkov, took over the reins of the senior team. Sundowns made its best ever start to a League season and topped the league standings at the end of the first round. The second round of the league proved more competitive and Sundowns were in the hunt for the league title until the second last match. Habas resigned in February citing personal reasons and went back to Spain. Assistant coach Ian Gorowa was appointed as interim head coach.

In 2011 Johan Neeskens was appointed coach of Sundowns.

On 4 March 2012, the team set a remarkable South African record in the Nedbank Cup when they beat Powerlines FC by 24 goals to nil.[1][2]

Notable former coaches

Honours

1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2013–14; 2015-16
1988, 1990, 1993
1986, 1998, 2008, 2015
1990, 1999, 2015
1988, 1990, 2007
1991, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006
1988

Club records

Source:[3]

Premier Soccer League record

  • 1996/97 – 6th
  • 1997/98 – 1st
  • 1998/99 – 1st
  • 1999/00 – 1st
  • 2000/01 – 3rd
  • 2001/02 – 5th
  • 2002/03 – 10th
  • 2003/04 – 10th
  • 2004/05 – 3rd

  • 2005/06 – 1st
  • 2006/07 – 1st
  • 2007/08 – 4th
  • 2008/09 – 9th
  • 2009/10 – 2nd
  • 2010/11 – 4th
  • 2011/12 – 4th
  • 2012/13 – 10th
  • 2013/14 – 1st
  • 2015/16 - 1st

Club officials/Technical team

Source:[4]

First team squad

As of 28 December, 2015.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Zambia GK Kennedy Mweene
2 South Africa DF Thabo Nthethe
4 South Africa DF Tebogo Langerman
5 South Africa MF Asavela Mbekile
6 South Africa DF Wayne Arendse
7 South Africa MF Keagan Dolly
8 South Africa MF Hlompho Kekana
10 South Africa MF Teko Modise
11 Botswana MF Mogakolodi Ngele
13 South Africa MF Tiyane Mabunda
14 South Africa MF Surprise Moriri
15 Nigeria MF Ejike Uzoenyi
16 South Africa DF Ramahlwe Mphahlele
18 South Africa MF Themba Zwane
19 South Africa MF Mzikayise Mashaba
20 Zimbabwe MF Khama Billiat
21 South Africa DF Siyanda Zwane
23 South Africa MF Lebohang Mokoena
25 Colombia FW Leonardo Castro
26 South Africa DF Rheece Evans
27 Zimbabwe FW Cuthbert Malajila
28 Liberia MF Anthony Laffor
29 Ivory Coast DF Soumahoro Bangaly
34 South Africa MF Bongani Zungu
36 Uganda GK Denis Onyango
40 South Africa GK Wayne Sandilands
42 South Africa GK Thela Ngobeni
53 South Africa FW Katlego Mashego

On loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player

Foreigners

In the South African PSL, only five non-South African nationals can be registered. Foreign players who have acquired permanent residency can be registered as locals.


Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

References

  1. "Sundowns make South African history with 24–0 win". BBC Sport (BBC). 4 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  2. "Downs thrash Powerlines in record win". Sundowns FC. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  3. "Mamelodi Sundowns". Kickoff.com. Retrieved 2013-11-17.
  4. Kickoff PSL Yearbook 2013/2014, p. 28.

External links

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