PRETORIA - Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe praised both the Krok and Tsichlas families profusely at a media conference in Johannesburg on Tuesday, where he announced that he was now sole owner of the canary yellow shirted 'Brazilians'.

Addressing the media and his players, he in- formed them that together with Abe Krok,Angelo and Anastasia Tsichlas who will be non-executive board members, they will continue running the team while they search for a suitable chief executive officer.

Motsepe said his search for a CEO will be concentrated around the Tshwane townships of Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa, Mobopane, Soshanguve, Atteridgeville, Klipgat and Hammanskraal and the successful applicant will be interviewed by the advi- sory board.

Anastasia Tsichlas who has run the club successfully as managing director and was in charge when the club created history by winning the Castle League championship on three successive seasons, said she was going overseas and would be back at the beginning of June.

"I am going to Zurich for both the 2010 Bid ann- ouncement and to attend a Fifa congress," she said.

"I will also be visiting families abroad and will be back towards the end of May or beginning of June.

"I really do not feel so much pain for selling my shares and hurt because of the incredible respect Patrice Motsepe has shown me and my family since he came to Sundowns.

"I wish to point out that Patrice did not point a gun at me saying 'I want your shares'. It was a mutual agreement and together with my husband Angelo, we brought Patrice to Sundowns."

In another development, PRO Alex Shakoane has now become executive director communications and marketing while the club iss searching for a CEO.

Motsepe left the country yesterday in a South African delegation for Zurich, Switzerland to show the Fifa executive voting for the successful African country to host the 2010 World Cup on Saturday, that corporate South Africa supported the South African bid.

"I want to thank both the Krok (Abe and Solly) and Tsichlas (Angelo and Anastasia) families for elevating Sundowns to where it is today,"said Motsepe.

Motsepe hinted that the club would from next year revert to their original name of Mamelodi Sundowns.

"It has been my intention and it still my wish and ambition to see Sundowns becoming the number one team in Africa," he said.

Although Sundowns in- vaded the transfer market at the beginning of the current season, most of the players have not really changed the fortunes of the team and for the second successive year, the club has failed to qualify for the Super Eight competition. - DDC