Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender, Clayton Daniels has questioned why Masandawana would reportedly fork out R50 million for Marcelo Allende when that same money could have been used to develop a similar player from our own country.
Allende was signed from Uruguayan club Montevideo City Torque, where the 23-year-old scored 18 goals and created 23 assists in 106 appearances. He has been on trial at Premier League club Arsenal on three occasions in 2017, and was even offered a permanent contract.
“Sundowns signed a player from South America for R50 million. For me, I was so angry about that because Sundowns is a top top team, but you sign a player for R50 million from another country, to come and do what one of our own players can do. So imagine you give me that R50 million, and I run an academy for five years. I’m gonna give you at least three, four, five of those types of players that you just bought overseas. The talent is here, I don’t know why Sundowns are struggling with development, when they have all the resources to produce their own,” Clayton Daniels told ThisIsFootball.Africa.
“How quickly do you want success, if Sundowns want to be African champions, maybe yes that’s the way to go, to buy that type of player. But what does it do in the long run for our own players, it’s just taking the opportunity away for our own young players. If they are content and they say here is a five year project, we want to produce our own players and be the best academy that exports to Europe.”
Daniels believes that there is room for development as well as success at Mamelodi Sundowns. That it is about finding that balance between the two, as there is no future without youth. Youngsters are being lost, firstly because of the lack of opportunity and the lack of preparation, so that these players can transition into first team football.
“I don’t know why you must be so success hungry, if you don’t even have your own players doing the job for you,“ added Daniels.
“Name a player that came through the ranks at Sundowns, you can hardly name one, maybe it’s working for them, but I don’t agree with that model.”
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