Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has stressed that young players promoted to the senior team are important, but was quick to warn that he will not treat them with kid gloves.
The Brazilians have returned from a pre-season training camp in Austria and Slovenia, where they drew 1-1 with Hertha Berlin, lost 2-0 to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal and drew with CAF rivals MC Alger 1-1. They then lashed Qatari side Al Sailiya 7-0.
The training camp overseas was delayed following the death of Jayden Adams, and that forced the postponement of Sundowns’ Betway Premiership match against Marumo Gallants. They will get their season rolling on Saturday when they take on Polokwane City FC in the MTN8 quarter-final.
After finishing last season without any domestic trophy and having their Betway Premiership dominance halted by Orlando Pirates, Masandawana are preparing to reclaim glory on the home front.
They will also be bidding to defend the CAF Champions League title. In the squad he took to Europe with, Cardoso included rising stars like Bennet Mokoena, Akhanyile Norawana, Gomolemo Kekana and Thato Sibiya.
MIGUEL CARDOSO READS TOUGH SCRIPT TO MAMELODI SUNDOWNS YOUNGSTERS
PSL clubs have been working to produce players who become big names in South African football. Notably, Orlando Pirates have exported Relebohile Mofokeng, Mbekezeli Mbikazi and Mohau Nkota to overseas clubs.
Stellenbosch FC produced the late Bafana Bafana 2026 FIFA World Cup star Jayden Adams and Antonio van Wyk, who is now at Sundowns after a stint in Austria.
“The job of a coach is also to produce a legacy. Legacy comes from, obviously, the results you produce, the quality of games we show and also the production of the players who are products of the academy that we need to follow and give continuity in that process of development,” said Cardoso.
“We didn’t do any favour to anyone by bringing them here. We brought players that we believe are important. They are not even important in the future; they are important now in a squad that will play a lot of matches throughout the season, and those players will be important to be ready and to give answers to be at the level we demand.
“I’m absolutely happy with the integration. They have been working with us throughout the year, but obviously, they are now better because the period they have been with us since the beginning of pre-season has worked quite well, allowing them to understand what we want in our game.
“Not taking away their individuality, what they have themselves, but putting that in the service of the team and integrating them with the other players. I’m happy with the performance they showed.”
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