Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp and Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane were involved in a heated exchange on live TV.
The duo were participating in SABC’s Soccerzone sports show in the buildup to the Shell Helix Cup match between the two sides.
Last night on SoccerZone #Amakhosi4Life #ThereCanOnlyBeOne pic.twitter.com/a7cHciggmT
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) October 8, 2019
When Mosimane made claims of potentially sitting back and parking the bus in the exhibition match, Middendorp was quick to interject and cut short the Downs coach’s attempt to play mindgames.
‘I’m 100% sure that Pitso isn’t a coach who would park the bus,’ Middendorp retorted. ‘He’s making a lot of noise recently in different departments and therefore, at this moment, don’t believe this one too.’
With the Absa Premiership champions and the Soweto giants set to meet on 27 October in the league, Mosimane is looking to lay down a marker in the cup match.
‘A game between Sundowns and Chiefs is never a friendly game. The previous Shell Helix fixture showed that last year. We’re going to be taking it very seriously, it’s a serious game.
‘And coach [Middendorp] is right, I’ve made a lot of noise. I thought that they don’t hear the noise, so I’m glad they got the noise,’ he added.
‘There’s a lot of making a lot of noise, not on your team but making noise on other teams,’ interrupted Middendorp. ‘What does that tell you? It shows that there must be respect and a bit of fear.
Heated exchange between Kaizer Chiefs Coach, Ernst Middendorp, and Mamelodi Sundowns Coach, Pitso Mosimane
This escalated quickly #AbsaPrem #SSDiski #KickOff #PSL #Amakhosi4Life #BackToBrilliance #Sundowns #DownsLive #ShellHelixUltraCup #ThereCanOnlyBeOne pic.twitter.com/hn068FNrS0
— Shakes Rampedi (@ShakesRampedi) October 7, 2019
‘I talk about my players, my team and that’s it. I don’t need to get into refereeing decisions and other decisions saying, “This is not right.”
‘Sorry, why are you doing this? Especially in such a position being the Absa Premiership champions.’
The German tactician’s frustrations stem from comments made two weeks ago by Mosimane when he claimed that Chiefs were benefiting from refereeing decisions while his team were not getting similar calls.
With the sides set to clash twice in the space of two weeks, tensions are beginning to heat up between the defending champions and current log leaders.
“Pitso has been making a lot of noise about Chiefs. He must respect and fear us. You won’t win like last year through a goalkeeper blunder.”
~ Ernst Middendorp pic.twitter.com/IDZTiEZgye
— Faceless Clinton (@Nkgadimaclinton) October 8, 2019