Thursday, 12th April 2007 at 11:15 am

Sundowns pick up another one

Can you buy a football title? Many have tried (Real Madrid, anyone?), but aside from Roman Abramovich in England (but pointedly not in Europe), nobody really has managed the desired return on investment - with one exception. Patrice Motsepe’s expensive hobby has delivered a second successive title, and while continental success is still elusive, Motsepe’s Sundowns are still in the running in Africa this season - and wrapping up the PSL title with Wednesday night’s win over Maritzburg United will have confidence soaring.

Winning the league also brings to four the championships that Gordon Igesund now has to his name, adding to previous wins with Manning Rangers, Orlando Pirates and Santos. This season might not have carried the weight of expectation associated with the Pirates win, but Sundowns fan base is steadily growing, and a billionaire owner keeping a close eye on your progress adds a unique type of pressure to the coach’s task.

But Igesund has come through, blending veterans like Peter Ndlovu (the ageless Zimbabwean, who by Feverpitcher calculations is now in his mid-50s) with younger talent like Vuyo Mere and Surprise Moriri, and backing them up with South Africa’s most consistent ‘keeper, Calvin Marlin. Plenty of money has been spent at Sundowns, but it’s been spent shredly, and a team of precocious talent has been held together with a great deal of skill. The result? A runaway title win, and the suggestion that the Motsepe dynasty may yet produce an unforgettable era in South African - and possibly African - football.