Beleaguered Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso will take his place on the bench against Orbit College during their Betway Premiership clash at Loftus on Monday, but his future remains uncertain.
Talks between coach Pitso Mosimane and the club are on hold for now because of the ongoing court case between the two parties, and this has given some breathing space for Cardoso.
Cardoso and his technical team have been under increasing pressure from the hard-to-please supporters. Some of the Sundowns supporters are unhappy that Sundowns are playing “unattractive” football even though they are in second spot in the log standings after Orlando Pirates.
Supporters also allege that Cardoso favours imports Arthur Sales, Miguel Reisinho and Nuno Santos over Themba Zwane when he is fit, Sphelele Mkhulise, Jayden Adams and Thapelo Maseko.
With negotiations between the club and Mosimane having been put on ice, Cardoso will be in charge of the next league match against Orbit College and Al Hilal in the Champions League next Friday.
Sundowns management have been in talks with Mosimane since the late stages of last year, but they are yet to finalise a deal for his return to Chloorkop.
Mosimane enjoyed huge success with Sundowns, including five league titles, winning the Champions League and the Super Cup and playing at the Fifa Club World Cup, before he left for Al Ahly in Egypt in 2020.
If the deal happens, it remains to be seen if Mosimane will be able to work with Flemming Berg, who is the sporting director at the club.
A win for Sundowns over Orbit College on Monday will see them move to the top of the standings, but they would have played two more matches against Pirates.
Pirates return to league action next Saturday when they visit Sekhukhune United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, where they will be looking to make it four wins in a row.
Defeat to Orbit College may have far-reaching consequences for Cardoso, who posted social media videos during the team’s training base in Polokwane this week trying to portray that all is well in camp.
Asked if the swirling rumours had affected the players, Bafana Bafana defender Aubrey Modiba said they were not focusing on external issues. “We don’t want to focus on what people write about. Our focus is on the team and our preparations for the resumption of the league.”
Sundowns have signed former Orlando Pirates midfielder Monnapule Saleng and TS Galaxy defender Khulumani Ndamane, and people have suggested Mosimane had a hand in those recruitments.
The club has also signed Colombian attacker Brayan Lèon.
TimesLIVE
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