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Johannesburg - Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has observed that there is a serious dearth of strikers in the Cosafa zone.
Mosimane said this at the end of Sundowns five-day training camp in Zambia on Thursday where they played three pre-season friendlies against Copper belt clubs winning two and drawing one.
One particular trend that Mosimane noted was a lack of quality striker’s in the three teams Sundowns faced in which they conceded just one goal.
“It looks like we are losing the firepower in the region. In South Africa we are relying on African countries but more on Zambians and Zimbabweans like the (Christopher) Katongo's have been here and scored goals, (Collins) Mbesuma has been here and scored goals including James Chamanga-all those guys," Mosimane said.
"But I see also now at this point in the time that we played important teams in Zambia, strong teams but the finishing was not good. I thought in South Africa we had challenges in the finishing but then I see it also here in a country where we ship strikers from, and saw the finishing it is not good also.
"You can’t blame anybody. It is us the coaches, we need to do something and make sure the SADC region becomes stronger for us to do better in the CAF Champions League and other competitions. We need to do something to up the game.
"Let’s be honest now, nobody scores a lot in South Africa outside the era of Benni McCarthy, Shaun Bartlett and Katlego Mphela, it’s the odd goal this one or that one.
"The last five, six, seven, eight games in Zambia too; it is slowing down also you don’t have your own top striker like we knew Katongo would score, or someone like that."
