Former SuperSport United defender Morgan Gould has weighed in on the club’s relegation struggles, urging them to return to their roots and fight for survival with the end of the Premiership season fast approaching.
Once a side known for producing South African legends and competing at the top of the table, Matsatsantsa now find themselves in unfamiliar territory – battling relegation.
After a dismal run of form, including a seven-game winless streak across all competitions, they currently occupy the relegation playoff spot.
The latest result was the 1-1 draw with Polokwane City on Saturday, which left them in 14th position with 23 points, only just ahead of 15th-placed Cape Town City on goal difference.
Following the departure of seasoned coach Gavin Hunt earlier in the season, the Pretoria-based outfit turned to former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Andre Arendse to try and steer them to safety.
However, the road remains tough, with every remaining match crucial to securing their top-flight status.
Gould, who attended an MTN8 Last Legend Standing event by Njabulo Manqana on Saturday, dissected events at his former club.
Only if two teams got an automatic relegation. I’d put Supersport United and Cape Town City up for relegation 🤲
— 𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚡 (@alexsithole) April 8, 2025
The 42-year-old made a name for himself at SuperSport during some of the club’s most successful periods, reflecting on the situation with a mixture of concern and realism.
“No one is invincible, no one is bigger than the next. There’s 15/16 teams that are vying for the trophy, and within that, there must be winners and losers,” he said.
“Unfortunately, SuperSport are at the bottom right now. They are a club that we know for making South African legends and powerhouses.
“So, I think they must just go to the drawing board and look at themselves.”
Gould also pointed to the club’s well-known strategy of selling players as a contributing factor to their current plight.
“Their mantra is selling players, unfortunately their selling got to a point where they sold too many players and they hadn’t done much integration of the senior players that are left in order to be able to hold the club’s mantra,” he explained.
SuperSport have long been nicknamed “the club of cool dudes” for their confident style on and off the pitch, but Gould noted that the nickname feels out of place at the moment.
“They are nicknamed the club of cool dudes, but at the moment, the cool dudes find themselves wanting,” he said.
Despite the gloom surrounding the club, Gould believes survival is still within reach, given that other clubs are also locked in the battle to avoid the drop.
“They have an opportunity to redeem themselves because they’re not the only ones at the bottom. There’s Cape Town City, Marumo Gallants, who are also battling for their lives, so it’s going to be a tricky last stretch of the season,” he added.
With a few crucial games remaining, SuperSport United will need to dig deep, rediscover their fighting spirit and hope they can preserve their proud top-flight legacy.
