Mamelodi Sundowns FC

""'Football club infobox
clubname = Mamelodi Sundowns


fullname = Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club
nickname = "The Brazilians,
Bafana Bastyle,
Downs"
founded = 1970, as "Sundowns" in Pretoria
ground = Loftus Stadium, Pretoria
capacity = 51,762
chairman = Patrice Motsepe
manager = flagicon|South Africa Trott Moloto
league = ABSA Premier League
season = 2006-07| position = ABSA Premier League, 1st
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=FFFF3F|body1=FFFF3F|rightarm1=FFFF3F|shorts1=2F5FD0|socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=2F5FD0|body2=2F5FD0|rightarm2=2F5FD0|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=2F5FD0

Mamelodi Sundowns are a South African football (soccer) club that participates in the country's Premier Soccer League. The club is owned by 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 Frank Motsepe, Roy Fischer, Ingle Singh 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 were approached by the late Boy Mafa who bought the franchise for R2000.00, a transaction facilitated by then lawyer, Dikgang Moseneke. This resulted in 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 soccer, 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. Then bought by successful businessman Abe Krok, and the powerful Tsichlas family that made the team who they are today.

Sundowns enjoyed a golden period of success in the late 90s under the brilliant acumen of the Tsichlas family and Abe Krok that saw them pick up 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.

In 2003,Patrice Motsepe bought 51% shares in the club and in 2004 he took total control of the club by buying the remaining shares and thus became the sole owner and shareholder of the club.

Sundowns 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 06/07 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

Notable players

*Isaac Shai
*Jabulani Mendu
*Brian Baloyi
*David Kannemeyer
*Daniel"shisa mpama" Mudau
*Mark Batchelor
*Andre Arendse
*Michael Manzini
*Lungisale "Apollo Light" Ndlela
*Martin Zwane
*Russel Molofe
*Joas Magolego
*Sipho Nunens
*Craig Bianchi
*Shere Lekgotoane
*Jose Torrealba

Honours

*PSL League Champion: 5 1997/98, 98/99, 99/00, 05/06, 06/07
*NSL League Champion: 3 1988, 90, 93
*BobSave Super Bowl: 1 1998
*Mainstay Cup: 1 1986
*Rothmans Cup: 1 1999
*JPS Cup: 1 1990
*BP Top 8 Cup Winners titles: 2 1988, 90
*Ohlsson's Challenge Cup: 1 1988
*Charity Spectacular Winners titles: 4 1991, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006
*SAA Supa 8 Winners titles: 1 2007

Club records

*Most starts: Daniel Mudau 390
*Most goals: Daniel Mudau 172
*Most capped player: Sizwe Motaung 24 (South Africa)
*Most starts in a season: Themba Mnguni 48 (1997/98)
*Most goals in a season: Bennett Masinga 33 (1990)
*Record victory: 7-1 vs QwaQwa Stars (19/4/88, NSL); vs Santos (16/8/98, PSL); vs Vaal Professionals (3/2/99, PSL)
*Record defeat: 1-6 vs Africa Sports (4/11/00, CAF Champions League)

Premier Soccer League record

*2006/2007 - 1st
*2005/2006 - 1st
*2004/2005 - 3rd
*2003/2004 - 10th
*2002/2003 - 10th
*2001/2002 - 5th
*2000/2001 - 3rd
*1999/2000 - 1st
*1998/1999 - 1st
*1997/1998 - 1st
*1996/1997 - 6th

2006/2007 season

eason record

*Castle Premiership - winners
*ABSA Cup - runners-up
*Telkom Knockout - semifinals
*SAA Supa 8 - semifinals
*Telkom Charity Cup - winners

PSL top scorers

1. Surprise Moriri 11
2. Godfrey Sapula 9
3. José Torrealba 8
4. Lerato Chabangu 7
5. Peter Ndlovu 2
5. Josta Dladla 2
5. Benson Mhlongo 2

Club awards

Player of the Year: Godfrey Sapula
Top Goalscorer of the Year: Surprise Moriri
Most Consistent Player of the Year: Esrom Nyandoro
Most Improved Player of the Year: Oscar Ntwagae
Most Committed Player of the Year: Benson Mhlongo
Role-Model Player of the Year: Michael Manzini
Most Outstanding Player of the Year: José Torrealba, Surprise Moriri
Excellent Performance and Professional Lifestyle on and off the Field: Calvin Marlin
Young Player of the Year: Lerato Chabangu

Club officials/Technical team

*President: flagicon|South Africa Patrice Motsepe
*Team manager: flagicon|South Africa Harris Chueu
*Coach: flagicon|South Africa Trott Moloto
*Goalkeeper coach: flagicon|Argentina Alejandro Heredia
*Head of youth development: flagicon|South Africa Gregory Mashilo
*Technical director: flagicon|South Africa Ted Dumitru

2008/200- First team squad

"As of July 30 2008"

Foreigners

In the South African PSL, only five non-South African nationals can be registered. Players with foreign and South African citizenship do not count as foreigners.

*flagicon|Zimbabwe Esrom Nyandoro
*flagicon|Chile Jorge Acuña
*flagicon|Namibia Sydney Plaatjies
*flagicon|Mozambique Dário Monteiro

2007/2008 Transfers

In:

ummer transfer window

flagicon|Chile Jorge Acuña - Universidad de Chile, Chile

flagicon|South Africa Reagan Noble (loan return) - Bloemfontein Celtic

flagicon|South Africa Shere Lekgothoane - Jomo Cosmos

January transfer window

flagicon|Uruguay Bryan Aldave - Trujillanos FC, Venezuela

flagicon|South Africa Fanyana Dhladhla - Free State Stars

flagicon|South Africa Luvhengo Mungomeni - Black Leopards

flagicon|South Africa Chris Makhoba - Nathi Lions

flagicon|South Africa Innocent Mpangase - Nathi Lions

Out:

ummer transfer window

flagicon|South Africa Clement Mazibuko - Thanda Royal Zulu

flagicon|South Africa Neil Winstanley - Bidvest Wits

flagicon|Cameroon Christian Moudouthe-Bille - Black Leopards

flagicon|South Africa Reagan Noble (on loan) - Ikapa Sporting

flagicon|South Africa Mfiki Mthimkhulu - Ikapa Sporting

flagicon|South Africa Themba Maringa - Pretoria University

flagicon|Nigeria Soga Sambo - Kwara United F.C.

flagicon|Brazil Fabio Costa

flagicon|Venezuela José Torrealba - Deportivo Tachira, Venezuela

January transfer window

2008/2009 Transfers

Summer transfer window
In:

flagicon|South Africa Benedict Vilakazi - Aalborg BK,Denmark

flagicon|South Africa Sibusiso Zuma - Arminia Bielefeld,Germany

flagicon|Namibia Sydney Plaatjies - Jomo Cosmos

flagicon|Mozambique Dário Monteiro - Nea Salamis,Cyprus

flagicon|South Africa Kurt Lentjies - Ikapa Sporting

flagicon|South Africa Koketso Mmotong - Platinum Stars

flagicon|South Africa Thando Mngomeni - Engen Santos

flagicon|South Africa Katlego Mphela - Supersport United

flagicon|South Africa Siboniso Gaxa - Supersport United

flagicon|South Africa Derrick Spencer - Kaizer Chiefs

flagicon|South Africa Thembalethu Moses - FC Cape Town

Out:

flagicon|South Africa Godfrey Sapula - Platinum Stars

flagicon|South Africa Benson Mhlongo - Orlando Pirates

flagicon|South Africa Tyren Arendse - Engen Santos

flagicon|South Africa Brent Carelse - Supersport United

flagicon|South Africa Manqoba Ngwenya - Amazulu

flagicon|South Africa Oscar Ntwagae - Supersport United

flagicon|South Africa David Kannemeyer - Ajax Cape Town

flagicon|Zimbabwe Peter Ndlovu

flagicon|Democratic Republic of the Congo Patrick Apataki

flagicon|Uruguay Bryan Aldave

flagicon|South Africa Elias Ngwepe

Official sponsor

MTN

External links

* [http://www.sundownsfc.com Mamelodi Sundowns Official Website]
* [http://www.psl.co.za Premier Soccer League]
* [http://www.psl.co.za/teams/sundowns/club_information/ PSL Club Info]
* [http://www.safagoal.net South African Football Association]
* [http://cafonline.com Confederation of African Football]