Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has sent a strong message to South African football authorities on how to build on the Brazilians’ CAF Champions League success.
Masandawana were crowned African champions on Sunday, a decade after they claimed their first continental title. They drew 1-1 with AS FAR Rabat at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium to seal a 2-1 aggregate victory following a 1-0 first leg win in Tshwane seven days earlier.
Sunday’s triumph ended the agony of last season’s near-miss of losing to Pyramids FC in the final. Also, in recent seasons, Masandawana’s Champions League campaigns ended in the knockout stages as they struggled to reach the final.
It was Cardoso’s first time to clinch this tournament after being a losing finalist with Esperance and Sundowns in the last two seasons. The winning exploits underscored the Betway Premiership’s status as one of the most competitive leagues in Africa.
It was the seventh continental trophy by PSL teams. Sundowns now have two Champions League trophies, and they are the only South African team to achieve that. That adds to the African Football League and CAF Super Cup titles in their trophy cabinet. Orlando Pirates are the only other team to have won the Champions League, and they have also previously won the CAF Super Cup.
Kaizer Chiefs complete the count of seven occasions in which PSL teams have won continental trophies after they claimed the CAF Cup Winners Cup in 2001.
HOW PSL TEAMS CAN DOMINATE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AFTER MAMELODI SUNDOWNS’ SUCCESS
Cardoso believes that PSL teams can win continental trophies if there is a shift in local football “dynamics.” Betway Premiership champions Pirates join Sundowns in the Champions League next season. Chiefs and Nedbank Cup champions Durban City FC will be in the CAF Confed Cup.
“I believe that only commitment and only models of work at the highest level, groups of players with high capacity, and a little bit of luck, are the ones that can arrive here [win the Champions League],” said Cardoso after witnessing his team earn themselves a second star on their badge.
“But I also believe it is important if South Africa wants to have one team again in the near future [to win the] Champions League, it has to change some dynamics, and it’s really important that those dynamics are changed to provide conditions.”
CARDOSO’S PLEA TO ‘PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL’
For the better part of this season, Cardoso often complained about his team’s crammed fixture schedule, saying it was taking a huge toll on his players’ fitness. The former Celta Vigo tactician felt matches were being unfairly scheduled against his side.
This is despite the Brazilians having a large squad to rotate and avoid fatigue among players as they tried to balance between domestic and continental responsibilities. Despite the more demanding Champions League duties, Sundowns were also involved in a taxing Betway Premiership title race against Pirates.
They took part in the MTN8, Carling Knockout and the Nedbank Cup in a season they failed to win a single domestic trophy for the first time in over 10 years.
“Today [Sunday], there are three players who are potential Bafana Bafana players who could not play. Thapelo Morena, Aubrey Modiba and Bathusi Aubaas. They are not here because in the last month they were exposed to something that is not normal,” the Portuguese coach went on.
“They could not play the [Champions League] final; they could have been very useful. So, it’s time for people who are in charge of football in South Africa to really think about what they want towards the development of football in the country.
“If they create conditions to really push the teams forward and help this club [Sundowns], I believe it’s possible because the club will continue to work hard to lift the level and to develop. I’m pretty sure because I know the people in it.”
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