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Cape Town - Mamelodi
Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane believes that the Absa
Premiership is the best league on the African continent due to recent
improvements across the board.
Mosimane takes the view that world class facilities and television coverage of the games makes the Absa Premiership an excellent product.
In addition, improving levels of professionalism and fitness coupled with success in club competitions in Africa is also playing a role.
He said, "There's been a big‚ big improvement. And you can ask Percy Tau and my players. We play Champions League‚ against the champions who represent their countries. And the Absa Premiership is unbelievable.
"It's improved to the extent that I think we are number one in Africa. Probably financially too. Coverage‚ media‚ TV. I mean we can hardly find TV footage on opponents we play in Africa –- even from Egypt. You find footage that's blurry.
"So we have the best league. And what makes us say we have the best league? It's SuperSport United going to the final of the Confederation Cup (last year). Before that Orlando Pirates to the final of the Champions League (2013) and the Confederation Cup (2015).
"We won Champions League in the final (2016). And we had no reason to have lost (in the quarter-finals last year) to Wydad Casablanca (the 2017 winners). Percy was complaining about the Ugandan linesman who said he was offside all those times one-on-one with the 'keeper. There were no offsides.
"As a technician‚ I look at world football and African football. Sundowns find it difficult to unlock teams here (in the Absa Premiership). We can unlock Al Ahly‚ Zamalek‚ Esperance. So why should you not believe that the Absa Premiership is in the right position? And sometimes we are not talking about our league. We don't brag about it.
"I complain about referees - you know that. But go to Africa - it's worse. The coaches are doing very well. Before the fitness levels weren't so good. Sundowns had an edge three years back‚ even on big teams.
"We know because we check the stats‚ doing comparisons of players and saying‚ ‘Look at the winger of this big team’. How may sprints‚ how many kilometres.
"Now teams can match us physically and for preparations and organisation. So what is left is for us to outsmart them with tactical cleverness. But still it has become so difficult. Everybody trains the same way. Everybody's got analysts - okay‚ I've got four.
"If there's any other league in Africa you say is better‚ tell me the name and we can talk about it."
