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KICK OFF

Kick Off

Lekgwathi doesn’t deserve this

LETTERS to the editors

NEW ERA AT CAF

THE MONTH THAT WAS

The fantastic four • Mamelodi Sundowns have gone into the transfer market yet again with their first set of signings for the 2020/21 season headlined by Slovakian international Pavol Safranko and Zimbabwean left-back Divine Lunga. They have also surprisingly added defender Grant Kekana, while bringing in the exciting Neo Maema. KICK OFF’s Lovemore Moyo casts his eye over the new signings.

Where to next for Chiefs? • Despite a lacklustre domestic season, Kaizer Chiefs exceeded expectations in the CAF Champions League where they knocked out the likes of Wydad Casablanca before losing 3-0 to Al Ahly in the Final. With no continental football to worry about next season, the question is, can Stuart Baxter’s team bounce back from the disappointment and turn things around?

Pirates’new treasures • Orlando Pirates have again surprised with their choice of signings ahead of the start of the new season, with two of their new arrivals being players who didn’t make much of an impression at Maritzburg United last season. However, they will feel they know exactly what is needed to turn the team into title challengers and only time will tell if they have got the mix right. KICK OFF’s Lovemore Moyo looks at the four new signings.

Behind the eight ball • The MTN8 will provide Premier Soccer League sides with the first chance of silverware in the new 2021-22 season and there are some pretty tasty ties first up in the quarterfinals. Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have traditionally dominated this competition, though the latter’s victory last season was a rare bit of success in recent times. KICK OFF’s Nick Said assesses the four opening round matches.

MTN8 FACTS AND RECORDS

LIST OF MTN8 WINNING COACHES

‘We want to win everything’ • Craig Martin might have played professional cricket had he not been a footballer, and recently brought up a century of a different kind having joined the ‘100 club’ at Cape Town City in terms of appearances. And having made his Bafana Bafana debut in June, he is arguably enjoying the best spell of his career. The 27-year-old is now looking forward to helping The Citizens to silverware under new coach Eric Tinkler and tells KICK OFF’s Nick Said there is enough quality in the squad to challenge for more than one trophy.

‘I don’t want to be a statistic’ • Ethan Brooks has gone from an unknown midfielder playing amateur football to making his Bafana Bafana debut at the age of 20 in the short space of two years, all this within the turmoil of a global pandemic. When he made his international bow against Uganda, in what promised to be a new dawn for the national team under the management of Hugo Broos, one couldn’t even find his date of birth on Google – such was the meteoric rise of the Johannesburg-born talent. KICK OFF’s Lorenz Köhler caught up with the TS Galaxy midfielder before the 2021 COSAFA Cup to gain insight into his how he ‘manifested’ his rise to the senior national team despite only featuring in 14 games in the DStv Premiership during his burgeoning career.

‘I UNDERESTIMATED BROOKS’

KICK OFF

My Dream Team • Sipho Ndzuzo started his career as a striker at Bush Bucks before being converted to central midfielder. He went on to play for Manning Rangers, Mamelodi Sundowns, Ajax Cape Town and Benoni Premier United. He picks an XI made up of the best players he has shared a pitch with.

‘I have no regrets’ • Reneilwe Letsholonyane retired from professional football on July 1 after nearly two decades in the South African topflight with Jomo Cosmos, Kaizer Chiefs, SuperSport United,...