• Mokwena explains reason behind 1000 passes
• Sundowns coach asked his players to produce 1000 passes
• Ex-Barcelona coach Cruyff was known of playing Tiki-Taka football

WHAT HAPPENED?

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena has thoroughly explained why he demanded 1000 passes from his players. 

Early in March, the 37-year-old tactician asked his troops to replicate Barcelona's possession-based Tiki-Taka brand of football and complete at least 1000 passes, in admiration of former Barcelona coach the late Johan Cruyff. 

When many people were highly critical and called him names, the coach came out to explain the benefits of sharing the ball as many as a thousand times per match.

WHAT WAS SAID

"The 1000 passes comes from Johan Cruyff, there is a book I read of him where he talks about how to kill off the opposition's strength," Mokwena said on Radio 2000's Game On sports show. 

"If the opposition has a vicious crowd, the crowd that gives them strength, that backs them throughout the game, the best way to silence them is to have the ball, many passes, and be in possession for as long as you can. 

"In that way, it helps to turn the crowd on its team and then that creates opportunities to minimize an advantage," he explained. 

"It also helps to minimize the counterattack and be secure in possession and make the extra pass. It also allows you to have defensive stability because if you lose a ball, it becomes very difficult to stop the count attack in football. 

"That's where the 1000 passes come from and this is just me all the time learning and drawing inspiration and taking small details from some of the people who have  used these to great effect and have succeeded while using them."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Masandawana mentor is famous for the intensity he brings to his role and his detailed approach to coaching, which has seen him solely lift two league titles and the Africa Football League. 

Mokwena insisted he admires the Dutch coach Cruyff’s calm approach to his matches. His side is the highest-scoring team in the Premier Soccer League with 47 goals.

They have conceded only nine goals so far. The Tshwane giants haven't lost any match in the league this season so far, having won 19 and drawn five from 24 matches. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Soweto-born coach and his charges are in preparation for the league match against Steve Komphela's Golden Arrows on Wednesday evening. 

The former Orlando Pirates mentor will be hoping to keep the winning momentum in the last six games and eventually finish the league without losing a match.