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Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela says Mamelodi Sundowns’ financial muscle has given Pitso Mosimane an edge over other Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches in the transfer market as he started his business earlier than most clubs.

Downs’ seriousness in building a strong squad for next season was shown in March when George Maluleka signed a pre-contract with them after turning down a new deal at Kaizer Chiefs.

Soon after Maluleka was announced as a Sundowns player in July, the Brazilians went on to sign Lesedi Kapinga from Black Leopards and ex-Ajax Cape Town midfielder Grant Margeman.

Just as the season ended, the former Bidvest Wits duo of goalkeeper Ricardo Goss and midfielder Haashim Domingo, as well as the ex-Highlands Park pair of Mothobi Mvala and Peter Shalulile, arrived at Chloorkop.

“It’s not easy in the transfers. It’s helluva difficult,” said Komphela as per Sun Sport.

“I think Mamelodi Sundowns have managed to do their business on time because obviously of their financial situation and also assisted by the fact that there have been changes of teams and all that [club sales]. We don’t have the luxury of Sundowns.

"I wish I had that as well. Life will be a lot easier.”

Mosimane has indicated that he is not yet done with transfers and is also looking for players in South America.

Mosimane’s transfer business appears swifter than Orlando Pirates, who only announced their fist signings last week while Kaizer Chiefs' hands are tied by a Fifa transfer ban which they have since appealed against.

Also very active in the acquisition of players have been PSL returnees Moroka Swallows, who have so far brought in seven players including former Orlando Pirates star Musa Nyatama and Ruzaigh Gamildien from Chippa United.

Most PSL teams appear quiet ahead of the start of the 2020/21 season, pencilled in for early October, and Komphela said the coronavirus situation has disturbed transfers.

“Everybody is going through a difficult period in the transfer market currently. Whether you want to have your foreign intake... it is affected by the Covid-19 situation in that you can’t go across the borders,” Komphela said.

“Then at home you need to start checking who is available and who is not because we have just finished the season. There is a lot of activity. There are teams that have lost their status. Others just got into the PSL.

“So you need to be very smart. If you are desperate you end up making wrong decisions because you are in a rush. Beyond that, you also need to get the willingness of whoever you are targeting.”

Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty with the last kick of an astonishing game as Manchester United stole a 3-2 win over a Brighton and Hove Albion side who struck the woodwork five times.

The Portuguese kept his cool in the 100th minute to settle matters at the end of a dramatic encounter at the Amex Stadium in which United rode their luck to the extreme.

Brighton, showing no signs of fatigue despite facing a fifth game in 13 days, hit both posts and the crossbar in the first half before breaking the deadlock via Neal Maupay's nerveless Panenka penalty after Fernandes fouled Tariq Lamptey.

United – needing a response to their limp opening-game loss to Crystal Palace – levelled within 187 seconds, though, Lewis Dunk unfortunate to divert past Mat Ryan from close range after Fernandes' set-piece caused problems.

Referee Chris Kavanagh chalked off a penalty he had awarded early in the second half after reviewing the incident himself, allowing Paul Pogba to breathe a sigh of relief after Aaron Connolly took a tumble.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men made full use of the reprieve as Marcus Rashford, having just seen a goal disallowed, brilliantly danced his way into the box and fired home via a deflection off Dunk.

Graham Potter was cursing his luck when Solly March and Leandro Trossard hit the post and bar respectively, before jumping for joy when the former headed in a stoppage-time equaliser.

But the drama was not over and Maupay handled Harry Maguire's header, which was cleared off the line by March. The final whistle had gone but a VAR check resulted in a spot-kick from which Fernandes wrapped up the points in a game that will live long in the memory.

What does it mean? United paper over the cracks

This performance will persuade nobody that United are going to be a genuine threat this season – the visitors were clearly second best.

Brighton hit the woodwork five times, which is a record in a Premier League match since Opta began collecting such data in 2003.

On another day, this could so easily have been another chastening loss for United.

Trossard emulates Ronaldo...

Following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo is generally considered a good thing, but for Trossard it will be a source of huge frustration.

He became the first player since Ronaldo to hit the woodwork three times in a Premier League match, the Portugal star having done so for United against Newcastle United in 2006.

Adam Webster also saw a header tipped onto the bar by David de Gea on a frustrating day for the Seagulls.

Fernandes a cut above

Along with Rashford, Fernandes is one of the few United players who will emerge from this game with credit.

As well as getting the winner, he provided an assist and has now had 17 goals involvements in 16 Premier League appearances.

Key Opta Facts

- United have given away a penalty in consecutive Premier League games for the first time since March 2009; it's the first time the Red Devils have conceded one in both of their first two games in a Premier League campaign.
- De Gea has saved just two of the 29 penalties he has faced in the Premier League. Of goalkeepers to face at least 25 spot-kicks in the competition, only Paul Robinson has saved a lower proportion (6.1 per cent to De Gea's 6.9 per cent).
- United have won each of the last four Premier League meetings with Brighton, their joint-longest winning streak against a current top-flight side (also 4 versus Leicester City).
- Since the start of last season, United's Premier League games have produced 20 penalties, the most of any team in that time (15 for, five against).

What's next?

It will be a case of deja vu for these two sides, who meet again in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.

Manchester United rode their luck to beat Brighton after Leandro Trossard hit the woodwork three times to equal Cristiano Ronaldo's mark from back in 2006.

The Red Devils picked up their first victory of the new Premier League season in dramatic fashion at the Amex Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men ran out 3-2 winners after a last gasp Bruno Fernandes penalty cancelled out a stoppage-time equaliser from Solly March.

Brighton took the lead via a Neal Maupay penalty, only to be pegged back when Lewis Dunk scored an own goal just before half-time. 

A brilliant solo effort from Marcus Rashford put United 2-1 up early in the second period, and looked like being the winning goal until March bundled the ball in at the back post with 95 minutes on the clock.

The Seagulls thought they'd held on for a valuable point as Chris Kavanagh blew the final whistle following a Red Devils corner, but play was brought back after VAR picked up that Maupay had blocked a Harry Maguire header with his hand.

Fernandes stepped up to cooly convert and give the visitors all three points, leaving Graham Potter's side lamenting a number of missed chances which could have easily altered the final outcome.

Brighton dominated the contest for large periods, and could even have won by a clear margin had the woodwork not come to the Red Devils rescue on a total of five occasions.

Three of those efforts came from Trossard, who has become the first man to hit the upright three times in a single match since Cristiano Ronaldo for United against Newcastle in 2006.

More to follow.

Andre Ayew opened his season account for Swansea City in their 2-0 win over Dennis Adeniran’s Wycombe Wanderers in Saturday’s Championship game.

The 30-year-old was handed his second start of the 2020-21 season, spearheading the Swans attack and inspired them back to winning ways after playing out a draw against Birmingham City last time out.

Steve Cooper’s men started the game on an impressive note, dominating possession with their top-notch passes which forced Nigerian midfielder Fred Onyedinma to be cautioned in the 11th minute.

Ayew opened the scoring in the 13th minute of the encounter, drilling home his effort from close range after a timely assist from Jake Bidwell.

The Ghana international helped the Swans double the lead 10 minutes later, setting up Jamal Lowe with a sumptuous pass and the 26-year-old swiftly tucked home his effort.

Ayew featured for the duration of the game, struck six shots, made two key passes, had 60 touches with 77% successful pass rate.  

Adeniran also played for the entirety of the match in his debut appearance for Wycombe Wanderers but could not save his new club from defeat.

The Nigerian midfielder teamed up with the Chairboys on a season-long loan from Premier League club Everton on Friday.

Adeniran made 35 touches and had a 91% successful pass accuracy for Gareth Ainsworth’s men in the encounter.

The 21-year-old will hope to make his second appearance for the Chairboys and inspire them to their first win of the season when they face Luton Town on October 3.

Adeniran, born to Nigerian parents, has featured for England U17 but he is still eligible to play for the Super Eagles if he chooses to do so.

Ayew, meanwhile, is currently Ghana national team captain and has more than 80 appearances for the West African country.

The 30-year-old forward was part of the Black Stars squad at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and will be expected to lead Ghana in their World Cup and Afcon qualifiers.

Rwanda’s Football Federation Ferwafa is set to table the new proposal regarding the restriction of foreign players in the Premier League.

The proposal is set to be tabled in the upcoming General Assembly – expected to be held on October 17 - and have the 3-3 foreign quota rule debated ahead of the new season.

The 3-3 rule allows Rwandan clubs to have only three foreign talents in their starting XIs and another three on the substitute list. Local clubs have always protested against the rule arguing the limited number of permitted foreigners work against the growth of the Rwandan league.

According to The New Times, Ferwafa is expected to propose an increase in numbers from three to five. Ferwafa is said to have agreed to the club’s demands but will make the decision that will also have the national team’s interest catered for.

The FA is also expected to accompany the rule with another that would have the foreigners substituted with only local players during matches. It is hoped the new rule will motivate Rwandan players to work hard at their clubs given the previous rule was said to have brought about laxity.

APR and Police FC are the only clubs which have not had a single foreign player since the 2013/14 season.

Meanwhile, Abdallah Murenzi has taken over his role as the new Rayon Sports president in a handover ceremony that was conducted at the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) headquarters in Kigali.

Murenzi was appointed the president on Wednesday after Sadate Munyakazi and the entire executive board stepped aside on Tuesday. Murenzi and his new board are expected to bring stability before the club can organise elections.

“These are not easy responsibilities but I and my colleagues are committed and will do everything we can to fulfil them. I also hope we will have the support of the outgoing committee whenever we need them,” Murenzi said as was quoted by The New Times.

Thadée Twagirayezu and Hilaire Nyirihirwe will act as Murenzi’s deputies in the normalisation committee. The interim president’s father was a Rayon Sports player between 1970 and 1987 and was also president when the club won the league title seven years ago.

When Ferwafa cancelled the league due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rayon Sports were second to APR.

Marcus Rashford has gone for Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba has selected himself as Manchester United's top stars have revealed their Fantasy Premier League picks for the season.

FPL managers across the globe are currently readying their final squads for Gameweek 3 of the 2020-21 campaign, which kicked off on September 12.

Most players decided to resist the urge to include any United stars in GW1, due to the fact Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were granted an extra week off following their run to the Europa League semi-finals last season.

However, a number of Red Devils were drafted in the following week as the team prepared for their opening fixture at home to Crystal Palace, with the likes of Fernandes, Anthony Martial and Rashford all popular choices.

Unfortunately for United fans, Palace ended up springing an upset at Old Trafford, running out 3-1 winners thanks to an Andros Townsend strike and a brace from Wilfried Zaha.

Fernandes, who had previously averaged an impressive eight FPL points per game for the club following his move from Sporting CP in January, only delivered two against the Eagles, as did Rashford, Martial and Pogba.

Teenage forward Mason Greenwood, meanwhile, claimed just one point after being forced to make do with a cameo role from the bench.

Martial and Rashford hit 17 goals each in the top flight last season, while Greenwood was also among United's top-performing players.

And despite their poor start to the new season, many are likely to try and fit them into their FPL teams again when Solskjaer takes his side to Brighton on Saturday.

Ahead of that clash, several members of the current Red Devils squad have offered their top picks, with Rashford coming forward first to put his faith in Fernandes.

Check out our Fantasy Premier League tips & advice hub

Asked who would be the first name on his teamsheet from United's current crop, the England international told the official Premier League website: "Bruno, he takes the pens so you know he's going to get the goals up."

Luke Shaw, Nemanja Matic and Fred also picked Fernandes, before the Portuguese outlined the merits of selecting Martial.

"I think you need to choose Anthony Martial, because I will give a lot of passes to him," said Fernandes.

Pogba, who produced a below-par display against Palace but will be back in contention for a place in Solskjaer's line-up at Amex Stadium, concluded the question and answer session by stating: "I would advise you to pick me because I am Paul Pogba."

Gor Mahia new winger John Macharia has promised to help the team to register even more successes during his stay.

Macharia signed a two-year deal with the Kenyan Premier League 18-time champions and is among the 13 new stars who have been signed before the 2020/21 season begins.

“Let me tell everyone associated with Gor Mahia that I have come to work and I believe we are going to do a good job. We are simply going to do our best to make the team even better,” Macharia told Gor Mahia TV.

“My main aim is to play football, ensure that whatever level Gor Mahia have reached, we will not go down and I hope we will pick up from that level and even go higher. That means one has to be very aggressive in everything he is doing.

“It is a great feeling because many players would want to play for Gor Mahia since it is one of the best teams in Kenya. It is actually the best side because it is holding the championship record.

“No one can hesitate to take a chance when presented to play for Gor Mahia because every player would want to prove themselves with a team like Gor Mahia.”

The former FC Kolkheti and FC Saburto-II of Georgia star also spoke about experiences and life challenges since he launched his footballing career.

“Playing in Europe helped me get vital experience because I have learnt a lot while I was there,” said Macharia, who alongside his teammates have already started the pre-season training.

“As I come to Gor Mahia, I do not feel any pressure at all and if I get the opportunity, I will surely play football because it has been one long journey.

“The fact that I came back home does not mean the local league is of a lower standard, no, in fact, it is one of the best in Africa. I want to play if I get the time and when a good offer comes then I will take it because I know I am going far.

“Life has been good and since my school days, I think I have been advancing every other day but challenges have also been increasing, honestly. These challenges have been in my general life and in my sporting career.”

The winger joined after Tanzanian Dickson Ambundo left the KPL club for Dodoma Jiji FC and is expected to offer more creativity in the final third.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has fired a warning to Arsenal over Houssem Aouar, claiming their reported opening offer of €35 million (£32m/$41m) for the midfielder is too low.

RMC Sport reported that Arsenal submitted a formal bid for Aouar on Friday, with the Frenchman thought to be open to a potential move to Emirates Stadium .

However, it would appear that offer would be rejected and, as it stands, Aouar will line up for Lyon against Lorient in Ligue 1 on Sunday afternoon.

Aulas confirmed that the reported figure failed to match the club's valuation - thought to be €60 million (£55m/$70m) - of the 22-year-old and posted on Twitter: "There will be very few departures. For Houssem, Arsenal are too far from his value.

"We are counting on him to play a great game in Lorient and lead Lyon into the Champions League next year."

Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea have also been linked with Aouar in recent months, having seen him inspire Lyon's run to the Champions League semi-finals last season.

The talented playmaker graduated to the senior squad at Groupama Stadium back in 2017, and has since racked up 139 appearances for the club, scoring 24 goals and providing 27 assists.

He is contracted to remain on Lyon's books until at least 2023, but it has been suggested that a poor run of results at the start of the new Ligue 1 season could hasten his departure.

Rudi Garcia's men are currently sitting 12th in the French top-flight, having only managed to win one of their opening four fixtures.

They were held to a 0-0 draw at Nimes last time out, but will be expected to get back to winning ways against Lorient, who are two points further back in 16th at the moment.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are attempting to put the final touches to their squad under Mikel Arteta, who has overseen a significant turnaround in results since inheriting the managerial reigns at Emirates Stadium last December.

Gabriel, Willian, Runar Alex Runarsson and Cedric Soares have all been brought in on permanent deals, while Dani Ceballos has seen his loan from Real Madrid extended by another year.

In addition to Aouar, the Gunners are also being heavily linked with Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey , but the Spanish giants will not, as it stands, sanction the midfielder's departure unless his £46m ($58m) release clause is triggered.

Kagera Sugar head coach Mecky Maxime has revealed the team is missing their winning spirit despite defeating league leaders KMC FC by a solitary goal scored by Yusuf Mhilu.

The Kaitaba-based side came into the match without scoring and without a win in their previous three games, with the only thing achieved being one point. It was the opposite for the Kinondoni-charges who were riding high in confidence after reaping maximum points from their opening three games.

"Yes we have won, it was a good game for my players and we are all happy about it," Maxime told reporters at Kaitaba Stadium.

"But one observation I have made is that the team is lacking the winning spirit. It is not about the players because we have the best. However, when you lose the winning touch for some time, you tend to lose your confidence as well."

The former Taifa Stars defender also lauded the opponents for their display despite the defeat.

"KMC came stronger considering the fact that they had already won their initial games," Maxime added.

"They played well, gave us a run for our money but we won it. It is not because [KMC] played badly, but we capitalized on the chances we created."

KMC coach Habib Kondo was, however, a disappointed man owing to what he terms as embarrassing incidents.

"When [Kagera] scored, the balls disappeared and we remained with only one and when it went out, we had to wait for up to almost a minute for it to be returned for the game to continue," said the tactician.

"Then we had their goalkeeper who fell about eight times without someone touching him. It was a way of wasting time but he was not even cautioned.

"It is embarrassing because when we came on the pitch, we wanted to know our tactical prowess and help the players play on the pitch. But I am disappointed we played about 60 minutes out of the possible 90 owing to orthodox ways of wasting time."

The coach has now urged the league administrators to chip in and punish the team.

"Acts like these should not go unpunished," Kondo continued, "the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) should investigate and act. Our game cannot grow with these kinds of things."

PSL returnees Swallows FC have announced their seventh major signing following the acquisition of Thabo Mosadi from Ajax Cape Town. 

Club chairman David Mogashoa has been busy putting together a squad that will compete in the elite league after his team pipped the Mother City-based club to the automatic promotion on the final day of the 2019-20 season. 

Swallows took to their social media platforms on Saturday morning to unveil the former AmaTuks marksman. 

However, the club didn't disclose the details of Mosadi's contract. 

Mosadi comes with a wealth of experience to the Dube Birds as he's previously campaigned in the PSL with AmaTuks. 

He joined Ajax from AmaTuks in 2016 and went down with them in an attempt to help them return to top-flight football but his efforts and that of the team were not enough to secure a place in the PSL. 

Ajax lost to Black Leopards in the play-offs, finishing second behind the Thohoyandou-based side who won all their four games to eventually retain their status.

Mosadi has 138 league games in the PSL and boasts 12 goals and 18 assists to his name. 

He joins the other six players who arrived this week as preparations for the 2020-21 season are underway under coach Brandon Truter. 

The first signing to arrive at the Dobsonville-based side is veteran midfielder and former Orlando Pirates maestro Musa Nyatama. 

Swallows then acquired the services of Moeketsi Makhanya from JDR Stars to boost their striking department. 

Makhanya scored 12 goals for JDR Stars in his debut season in the NFD and Swallows moved swiftly to sign him, beating the likes of Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs to his services. 

The other new players include Ruzaigh Gamildien, Daniel Gozar, Kagiso Malinga and Wandisile Letlabika. 

Letlabika arrived on Friday alongside Malinga from Bloemfontein Celtic and SuperSport United respectively.

What's clear from the players Swallows have signed so far is that they want to build their team with a blend of experienced and young players in order for them to at least stay in the PSL in their first season.

Gor Mahia new signing Andrew Juma has revealed he will have to step up his game to make it at the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions.

Juma is among the 13 players, who have already been unveiled by K’Ogalo ahead of the upcoming 2020-21 campaign.

“In football new challenges are inevitable,” Juma, who was signed by Gor Mahia as a replacement for Joash Onyango wrote on his social media pages.

“You just need to adapt; or else, you won't fit in. And if you don't fit in, then you will have to ship out.”

In a recent interview, Gor Mahia captain Kenneth Muguna praised the team’s new signings saying they are capable of helping the side reach the quarter-finals of the Caf Champions League in this campaign.

K’Ogalo will be representing Kenya for the fourth straight season in a row having been crowned the 2019-20 champions when Football Kenya Federation (FKF) moved to end the season prematurely owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Muguna, who joined K’Ogalo from Western Stima, is confident the squad they have assembled is good enough to help them do well in the Caf competition.

“We have been training individually at home and sometimes when you have a pitch next to your home, you were allowed to go out and jog, the program was coordinated through a WhatsApp group by the coach,” Muguna told Gor Mahia TV.

“I was the one who was monitoring how the players were doing during individual training and you can see everybody took the program very seriously, so we just have to thank all the players for following the training sessions.

“It feels great to resume training and this time at least we want to go past the quarter-finals [of the Caf Champions League], like we did in 2018 [in the Confederation Cup], so the squad is ready and the new players have bonded very well and are looking sharp, ready to kick the ball again.”

After losing five key players – Joash Onyango to Simba SC of Tanzania, David Mapigano to Azam FC, Dickson Ambundo to Dodoma Jiji, Omondi, and keeper Peter Odhiambo to Wazito FC – Gor Mahia have been actively involved in the current transfer window.

Some of the new signings at Gor Mahia include Andrew Malisero Numero from Malawi, Benson Omalla, midfielder Sydney Ochieng, goalkeeper Samuel Njau, and defender Wesonga from Western Stima, Cameroonian midfielder Bertrand Konfor, John Macharia, Jules Ulimwengu (Rayon Sports), and John Ochieng from Chemelil Sugar.

Robert Lewandowski says Bayern Munich were "too exhausted" to celebrate their UEFA Super Cup win and RB Leipzig star Emil Forsberg has warned the German champions that they can beat them to the Bundesliga title this season.

Bayern picked up their fourth major trophy of the year by beating Sevilla in the Super Cup final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Thursday night.

Goals from Leon Goretzka and Javi Martinez gave Hansi Flick's side a 2-1 victory after extra time, but they have had little time to enjoy their achievement with a Bundesliga clash against Hoffenheim looming large on the horizon.

Bayern will travel to Rhein-Neckar-Arena on Sunday after just two days of preparation time, with the fixture list already starting to pile up after the quick turnaround between seasons caused by the coronavirus crisis.

The Bavarians had less than three weeks off following their Champions League final victory over Paris Saint-Germain in August, and Lewandowski says the players are really beginning to feel the strain.

Asked how the Bayern squad marked their latest trophy triumph, the Polish striker told BILD: "We didn't really celebrate, we were all too exhausted from the 120 minutes.

“On Saturday we're flying back to Hoffenheim, we don't have a day off. Actually, five days of ice baths would be nice now."

Flick saw his side open their latest Bundesliga campaign with an 8-0 rout of Schalke last weekend, and they will be expected to pick up another three points against Hoffenheim before focus shifts to a DFL-Supercup final meeting with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.

Dortmund have been Bayern's closest challengers in the German top-flight in recent seasons, but Leipzig finished third in 2019-20 and have been tipped to close the gap even further this time around.

Julian Nagelsmann's men, who reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time last season, got off the mark with a 3-1 win at home to Mainz, and will be back in action away at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Asked if Leipzig have a realistic chance of dethroning Bayern, Forsberg told BILD: "We'll see. We were the only team not to lose to them last season. And on good days we can certainly beat them too."

The Swedish winger also admitted that Leipzig had become overly reliant on Timo Werner before he joined Chelsea earlier this summer, and says the squad has already adapted to life without the German frontman to make sure that recent progress is sustained.

“With Timo, we got 47 scorer points. But maybe it was also the case that we sometimes subconsciously relied on him," Forsberg added. "Now we had to change and played an outstanding game against Mainz. Because everyone has taken responsibility. "

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Josta Dladla believes Gavin Hunt will bring a change of fortune to the team given his experience in the local game. 

Hunt joined Amakhosi on a three-year deal last week, and Dladla believes his experience and pedigree to win trophies are what the club needed to end their five-year trophy drought. 

"They have just signed a new coach who comes in with a vast amount of experience. I mean, he won trophies with different teams," Dladla told the media.  

"You need to take him seriously. He has been in the game and has done a lot of things. I think he's going to bring a lot of changes to the team," he said. 

Dladla doesn't agree with the view that Hunt's style of play will not suit Chiefs, saying the 56-year-old turned SuperSport United into one of the best ball-playing teams during his six-year stay with them where he won them three league titles in a row. 

"I know a lot of people say his style of play might not suit the club [but] this is the guy who has been in the game. When he was with SuperSport United, they played one of the best football in the country. So, you can't say he will never handle the style of Chiefs."  

According to the retired midfielder, the fact that Hunt has Dillon Sheppard and Arthur Zwane as his assistants mean Chiefs are in capable hands. 

"He's coming with Dillon Sheppard who has been doing well with the youngsters at Bidvest Wits and he's got Arthur Zwane who has been doing it on the other side, producing a lot of youngsters for the team. 

"So, he's got two guys who know what they are doing and when they work together, anything is possible," continued Dladla.       

The 41-year-old television pundit further questioned if the current Amakhosi players are ready to stand up and be counted under Hunt, adding that it is all up to them to make the coach's stay a success at the end of the day. 

"Are the players ready to take everything in the blueprint that he's going to come up with? Are they going to understand whatever he's going to be coming up with?" he asked. 

"Are the players ready for the new coach? It's all about them at the end of the day. 

"The coach can only do so much. He can talk the whole day but if you don't go out there as an individual to do the best then it's useless. It's all about the players at the end of the day," concluded Dladla.   

ATK Mohun Bagan FC’s Edu Garcia has been playing in Kolkata for more than a year now and has been a mainstay at the Kolkata club.

He had joined the club in December 2018 and was an integral part of the side’s title-winning campaign in the 2019-20 season. He had scored six goals, including one in the final against Chennaiyin FC to help the side from Kolkata land their third title.

The former Zaragoza man has enjoyed his stint in the City of Joy so far and has also signed a contract extension this year which will keep him in Kolkata for two more years.

“Kolkata is amazing,” the Spanish player told Goal. And I have known incredible people there. ATK has been the biggest club in ISL and you can feel it when you play for them. Now ATK Mohun Bagan is even bigger.”

The Spanish midfielder also expressed that the merger of ATK and Mohun Bagan is a positive development and stated that he believes that the amalgamation of two of the biggest clubs in India will only make the new entity stronger.

“As I told you, I think they are the two biggest clubs in India and now they are one, stronger, bigger and more supporters. I can’t wait to play and defend this jersey,” said the ATK Mohun Bagan star.

The Mariners’ arch-rivals East Bengal too are all set to compete in the top tier league this season after Shree Cement Limited came in as an investor.

Garcia revealed that he had previously watched the Kolkata derby from the stands and had experienced the fandom that is associated with a high profile game.

“I have been in the stands in a derby when they played the I-league. It’s crazy, I love football when the stadium is full and people support their team for 90 minutes. It will be one of the most exciting moments in ISL for sure,” said the Spanish footballer.

ATK Mohun Bagan have earned a direct slot in the AFC Cup, thanks to Mohun Bagan's I-League victory last season. The former Real Zaragoza player is looking forward to playing in the AFC Cup.

“It’s a big challenge for us to represent ATKMB in Asia. It’s also a big responsibility and we will give our best in every game.”

The 2020-21 season of the ISL is set to be held at a centralised venue in Goa owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Spanish midfielder praised the authorities and supported their decision to organise the league in a single venue keeping in mind the safety of the players.

“ISL and the authorities decided to do everything in the same city and I think it’s a good idea. You can control in a better way when everybody stays in the same place. So if we can play safely and Indian people can support their teams from home, I will be happy. The pandemic has changed everything. ISL has had to make a decision and I think they are doing it very well,” Garcia opined.

FC Goa have signed Australian defender James Donachie on a one-year loan deal from A-League side Newcastle Jets. The centre-back becomes the Gaurs’ 9th new signing ahead of the 2020/21 ISL (Indian Super League) season.

Donachie, 27, is a three-time A-League champion with 2 of his triumphs coming in the colours of Brisbane Roar in the 2011/12 and 2013/14 seasons. He later went on to win it again as a part of Melbourne Victory in the 2017/18 campaign. 

The lanky defender has the experience of plying his trade in the AFC Champions League as well. The Queensland native participated in the competition over 5 different editions which including the last three seasons – all with Melbourne. 

“I am thrilled to be coming to Goa and India. This should be a great opportunity and challenge for me. I will be playing for a club that’s not only looking to challenge for the title but will also be playing at the highest level in Asia – the AFC Champions League. I feel this move comes at the right time for me. I can’t wait to set sail to India and get on to the ground," stated Donachie after completing the move. 

Donachie is a product of the Brisbane Roar’s youth program. He played junior football in Queensland and was awarded Australia’s Youth League Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

He had joined the senior Roar's side in 2012 and in the very first season he tasted silverware as his side overcame Central Coast Mariners in dramatic fashion to clinch the title.  

Donachie made his first big move in 2016 when he signed for Melbourne Victory. He was with Victory till the end of last season except for a short six-month spell with the erstwhile K-League side Jeonnam Dragons in 2018. He moved back to Melbourne on loan later in January 2019 before making his move permanent last year in August.

He has been a key figure in the Melbourne defence during all his time at the club and was awarded the club’s Players’ Player of the Season award for his performances in 2019/20.

He had signed on a three-year deal with Newcastle Jets earlier this year.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has promised fans an entertaining match when they take on Gwambina FC in a Mainland Premier League match on Saturday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will be seeking to make it two straight wins against the promoted side after they beat Biashara United 4-0 in their last league match played at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium last Sunday.

With that in mind, the Belgian coach has remained confident his side will entertain fans since they will be playing at the national stadium.

“We want to entertain our fans, more than we did against Biashara United in the 4-0, we want the fans to go home happy and they must be prepared for good entertainment,” Vandenbroeck told the club’s official website.

“Against Biashara we won 4-0 and entertained the fans, and against Gwambina we also want to win and entertain fans, even more, our target is to make the fans happy.

“We must make sure we are entertaining especially when playing at home, we must win our home matches as this will help build your pursuit to win the title.”

Vandenbroeck continued: “When you are the champions you have to entertain that is the reason we are the champions and that is why we have to make sure that our fans are entertained, we will strive to entertain, it is our duty to do so and we will make sure we achieve that.”

Vandenbroeck also confirmed that all the players are fit and ready for the fixture apart from Brazilian winger Gerson Fraga, who has been ruled out for three weeks after injuring his left leg in the match against Biashara.

Speaking after the game against Biashara, Vandenbroeck revealed he was happy for his team not to concede a goal.

“My happiness from the game is that we managed to keep a clean sheet, it was a big achievement for my team,” Vandenbroeck told the club’s official website.

“The whole team played very well from the first whistle and in the entire 90 minutes, they were very impressive and winning 4-0 was also a good way to welcome our fans because it was the first match we were playing at home this season.”

On Tuesday, Simba also played a friendly against African Lyon and won 2-0 with goals from Mugalu and Charles Ilanfya.

Simba had conceded in their first two league matches – a 2-1 win against promoted Ihefu FC and a 1-1 draw against Mtibwa Sugar.

Fiorentina forward Christian Kouame has revealed that he attempted to get training secrets from Rodrigo Palacio and Mauro Icardi while he was with Inter Milan.

The 22-year-old Ivorian was on the books of the Nerazzurri as a youth player in 2016 on loan from Prato. He never made an appearance for the senior squad, but did have training sessions and was able to blend with the likes of Palacio and Icardi.

Palacio was at the San Siro between 2012 and 2017, had a hand in 89 goals (58 goals, 31 assists) before heading for Bologna,

Icardi had a longer spell at the club and was involved in 152 goals (124 goals, 28 assists), some of which came wearing the captain's armband before his inglorious exit from the Italian fashion capital in 2019 to French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

Fiorentina come up against Inter in Serie A this weekend and Kouame recounts one of his most memorable moments there.

"I was mostly in the Primavera. But on the occasions that I have been training with the Nerazzurri first team,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport as per TuttoMercato.

“I tried to steal secrets, especially from the forwards, in particular, Icardi and Palacio.”

Kouame joined Fiorentina on a permanent basis having spent the second half of 2019-20 season on loan from Genoa.

Despite being injured for much of the campaign because of an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury and only able to play after the Serie A restart, Viola boss Giuseppe Iachini still saw him as a vital member of his squad.

He played 88 minutes of the season opener against Torino which ended in a 1-0 win and is targeting hitting double figures for the campaign.

He revealed he would have moved to the Premier League had it not been for his injury, but feels at home in the region of Tuscany.

“To arrive at double figures would be wonderful. But what I want is to feel good, have continuity and, above all, help my team to obtain important results,” he continued.

“I was about to go to the Premier League. But Florence was obviously in my future and I’m very happy to be here now. I think rupturing my ACL was a sign of my destiny.”