Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso believes South African football stakeholders are each other’s biggest enemies, who invest a huge amount of effort to drag each other back.
After the Brazilians edged Golden Arrows 2-1 in a Betway Premiership match at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday, the Portuguese took time to deliver a long lecture on the state of South African football. Touching on officiating and VAR, fixtures, support from football authorities, and the quality of football grounds, Cardoso was not entirely pleased.
Sundowns are the only PSL team left in CAF inter-club competitions after four clubs participated this season. Orlando Pirates failed to reach the group stage of the CAF Champions League. Kaizer Chiefs and Stellenbosch FC had their respective campaigns in the CAF Confederation Cup, ending in the group phase.
Cardoso says some realities are stagnating the development of local football, including clubs themselves pulling each other down.
CARDOSO GIVES A PORTUGUESE EXAMPLE IN DESCRIBING THE STATE OF SA FOOTBALL
“There was a coach who said I know nothing about South African football. I don’t need to know, but I know what we feel as coaches, as players, as a club, to be put in a situation like that. We don’t defend just the badge of Sundowns, we defend South Africa as a nation when we play in the Champions League,” said Cardoso.
“When I’m in Portugal, whether it’s Benfica, Porto, Sporting, Braga, Guimaraes, whoever is playing international, I want them to win. But here we still play this cat-and-dog, or mouse-and-cat, game where ‘I want you to lose when you go to play [in the Champions League].’
“Come on, what are we talking about? We really want to have this kind of positioning, or do you want to defend South African football collectively?
“Last year, I was very happy to see Pirates playing in the semi-finals of the Champions League. And I was not happy that this season they lost in the qualifying rounds to [FC Saint-Éloi] Lupopo. I like to see them playing and Kaizer Chiefs going forward.
“That’s what makes the dimensions of football, whether I’m part of it, bigger. I want South African football to be followed everywhere.”
SUNDOWNS’ FIXTURE CONGESTION
Recently, Sundowns’ request to have their match against Orbit College moved from March 10 to an earlier date this weekend was turned down by the Mswenko Boys. The Brazilians had wanted the Orbit match rescheduled for this Saturday or Sunday to allow them more time to prepare for the March 13 Champions League game against Stade Malien.
Cardoso views Orbit’s refusal as lack of support from PSL clubs and the match will also be staged at a smaller ground than the initial venue, the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
“What I think is that South Africa really needs to understand whatever they don’t. For example, how is it possible that we play on Tuesday? We tried to change the game and the only thing we managed to do is play on a pitch where the conditions are worse. Two days after we have to play the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
“This week, Ligue 1 in France officially delayed and said to PSG, ‘You don’t play your match this week because you have to be in good condition to play Chelsea’. We saw other teams this season in the qualifying rounds where they delayed league matches to allow teams to play those qualifying games.”
SELLING SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL IN EUROPE
Cardoso insists he has no positives to say about the South African game in Europe.
“As I told you, the president [of the Portuguese Football Coaches Association, José Pereira] wants me to speak at the biggest congress of football in Portugal. You know what he asked me? ‘I want you to tell everyone in Portugal what the reality of South African football is,’” the former La Liga coach went on.
“And my question is,’ what should I say?’ This? Or I should paint it beautifully and make it a very beautiful package and offer it to Portugal.”
“What should I do? What is the truth? Because if I say something that happens here, people will say something like, ‘it’s not possible. Really? Believe me.’”
DOOM AND GLOOM FOR THE PSL, ACCORDING TO SUNDOWNS COACH
“We really need to think about this, how we want to see football in South Africa in 10 years. I don’t see those ideas taken deeply, and I see people still fighting against each other,” Cardoso said.
“Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, Stellenbosch, Sekhukhune, TS Galaxy, up to Durban City and the last one on the table are teams that should join in efforts to develop South African football. It’s a joint venture, it’s not some individual effort.”
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