NWU coach Augustine “Mthakathi” Makalakalane says his team is not disgraced by their semifinal exit at the hands of UP-Tuks.
The visibly dejected Makalakalane took defeat on the chin and chose to dwell on the positives. He refuses to label his team’s run in Varsity Football a failure insisting that they gave it their all.
Lightning struck twice in two weeks as Tuks snatched a late dramatic winner with three minutes to go in Pretoria on Monday.
Late week they broke NWU’s hearts in the same manner in their round robin matches. NWU were in disbelief as they fell to the ground in tears after they were condemned to their fourth successive defeat to the same team.
They lost twice in Varsity Football and twice at the USSA tournament last year.
“I cannot fault my team for this painful exit. The players are distraught because they know that a better team lost in the game,” said Makalakalane.
With all their top class facilities and talent at their disposal, NWU started the tournament like a house on fire, but found the going tough as the tournament progressed.
“We lost against a professional team, Tuks is a professional outfit we have nothing to be disgraced about, we’re a soccer institute and they are a professional team and have better resources by far. We talk about physical conditioning, medical care, gyms and other things. I don’t think that we’re disgraced with the loss as a soccer institute,” he added.
But Makalakalane has left the competition with his star player Thabo Mnyamane signing for the Premier Soccer League outfit AmaTuks.
Mnyamane’s move to AmaTuks is a consolation for their elimination in the tournament.
“I’m happy with that part and we see an end product and you will see other clubs lined up to sign our players,” he said.
Makalakalane described the dressing room as a place where players are beating themselves up. He says they are distraught and left wondering what could have been.
“Everybody is disappointed we’re out and we were taunted as the best team with the mentality and creativity that we brought to this tournament but we’re out,” he explained.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder tasted painful defeats in his days with the Brazilians and he knew what to say to his players after the game.
“I told them that we lost and it’s part of the game. This is a game you have to be a man enough and accept defeat and shake the hands of your opponent to congratulate him.”
By Charles Baloyi – Sports reporter Daily Sun and Sunday Sun
