NEW Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has to hit the ground running, and will have to avoid a baptism of fire when the Brazilians host Raja Casablanca in a CAF Champions League clash at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday (3pm kick-off).
Here are five things Matshelane Mamabolo believes the bald-headed Portuguese must do fast...
Beat Raja Casablanca
Nothing will say ‘I am the right man for the job’ for Cardoso than a winning start to his Sundowns contract.
His work permit is sorted, and he will be on the bench for Sundowns’ third match of the group stages.
And with the South African champions winless in the Champions League after two matches, victory on Sunday will convince Masandawana that their club did the right thing by getting rid of Manqoba Mngqithi for Cardoso.
And the three points will give the club confidence for the remainder of the campaign, and say the Portuguese can take them to the final – like he did Esperance last season.
Get the team playing ‘the Sundowns way’
A criticism of Mngqithi was that he changed how Sundowns played and because of that, the club was no longer the fearsome outfit they used to be.
Gone was the Sundowns swagger of patient build-ups from the back and the ability to draw the opposition out of their own half and then pounce.
When they introduced him as their new coach, the management said they were attracted to Cardoso’s style of play because it was similar to that of Sundowns.
The 52-year-old better get the team playing the ‘Shoe Shine and Piano’ with immediate effect to endear himself to the club’s faithful.
Win the players over
The ‘Mokoena-Mudau Gate’ was the beginning of Mngqithi’s downfall at Sundowns, the coach’s decision to ‘discipline’ Bafana Bafana stars Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau by leaving them out of a big match not going down well with just about everyone associated with the club.
Of course, I am not suggesting Cardoso must pander to the players’ whims, far from it.
But he would do himself no harm by making the players realise that he values their international experience as well as their seniority, without giving away too much of his power as a leader.
Player power is real, and any coach who ignores it risks losing the dressing room.
Stay top of the league table
Sundowns are currently joint top of the table with Orlando Pirates, but they are number one due to a goal difference better than that of the Buccaneers.
Cardoso needs to ensure that the defending champions end the year still at the summit of the 16-team standings to be considered a brilliant and proper recruit.
After all, why hire a man who will drop the team from their lofty position?
Sundowns thus have to win three tricky matches at home to Stellenbosch and away to both AmaZulu and Richards Bay before the year ends. Do that, and Cardoso is THE MAN.
Going through the paces with some new faces 👀💪#Sundowns #TotalEnergiesCAFCL #RabatsenaGape pic.twitter.com/d1KVLeAqHk
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) December 11, 2024
Win the CAF Champions League
Cardoso said during his unveiling that he wants to one day be remembered in the same way as Pitso Mosimane and Rulani Mokwena for his great contribution to the club’s success.
Nothing will help him do that better than seeing to it that the club’s crest is decorated with a second star.
Winning the domestic championship is par for the course for any coach at Sundowns, so Cardoso should not even think that will be regarded as success.
He has to win the holy grail of continental club football – the CAF Champions League.
Do that, and the likes of me will forget that we questioned Sundowns’ judgement in hiring a one-trophy wonder who got fired from three clubs in one year.