A delegation of the players, led by captain Avril “Chawe” Phali, senior player, Lucky “Lucoste” Mhlathe, Malian international defender Ousmane Berthe and left wingback Ayo Oluwafemi, yesterday pledged their support for Sono and vowed to go down with the club “because we believe we can bounce back”, they told Sowetan.

“Bra J (Jomo Sono) is the only coach who can take us back to the elite league. We have been there before and we know what it takes,” said Mhlathe.

“We are even more focussed than the last time. We are fortunate at Cosmos because we are like brothers, we are family and we share the same spirit. Our chairman and coach has always been there for his troops and we share the same ideals as him.”

Phali added: “That he should quit coaching is something for the ignorant. He is the only chairman who is transparent about his involvement in coaching unlike others who even buy players before employing a coach. What does that mean? It is always the tallest tree that catches the most cold.

“We know, just as much as Bra J understands that we will lose some players, but 80 to 90 percent have pledged their loyalty to the club. As it is there are former Cosmos players who have already called the boss to say they are prepared to return and help the club get back up where it belongs.

“It is not about how many times you fall, but about how many times you pick yourself up that matters.”

The players believed that everybody within the club did their best and that they will regroup and come back stronger. “Actually, the coach should retire from his other businesses and sign a five year contract with Cosmos. The club will pay him. Despite us being relegated we gave 250 percent to our game. We were fit and were never humliated in the games we played, only Orlando Pirates (4-0) and Supersport United (3-1) beat us heavily. We avenged the Pirates defeat, anyway,” Mhlathe pointed out.

Oluwafemi and Berthe concurred with their teammates and pledged that they are united in their mission to play in the National First Division and fight their way back.

“We are too good a team to be in the NFD.”

Reasons given by the players for their relegation were, bringing in new faces, younger and inexperienced players, injuries, suspensions and the short season which meanty playing three games a week which didn’t allow for time to gel as a team.

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