MIGUEL Cardoso doth protest too much, me-thinks. It was akin to a fish expecting to be praised for swimming really.
At the pre-match media conference for Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF Champions League preliminary round second leg tie against Nigeria’s Remo Stars this afternoon (3pm kick-off), the Portuguese struck one as a man not fully understanding the kind of job he’s in.
The bald-headed former Esperance coach took offence yet again to what was a legitimate question regarding the Brazilians’ failure to win last year’s premier continental club competition.
The reality of that defeat to debutants Pyramids FC in the 2024 final was that Cardoso and Sundowns failed. Period! But no, Cardoso found it somewhat offensive that a member of the media corps saw things that way. To him, Sundowns reaching the final was a success.
“We sit in a position where we feel expectations are always very high. Sometimes, when we achieve things it looks like it is not enough,” he lamented.
Well, Mr Cardoso, you are coaching Mamelodi Sundowns – the most successful club in South Africa’s premiership era. This is a club for whom Champions League success is the ultimate goal. And when they brought you in to replace Manqoba Mangqithi, it was with the sole purpose that you emulate the great Pitso Mosimane and deliver the ultimate prize in African club football to Chloorkop.
After all, you came in highly recommended, didn’t you? You had robbed Sundowns of a spot in the final the previous season with your Esperance and though you went on to lose to Al Ahly at the ultimate stage, Sundowns told us at your unveiling that you were the man to bring them glory.
Excuse us then for not sharing your excitement at having reached the final.
“Last year we had this sensation that it was like the end of the world because we were so considered unsuccessful in a moment where exactly we should have been taken into consideration that we got to the final. Yet we were more penalised for being in the final than when we could have been knocked out in the semi-finals by Al Ahly,” he cried.
Fortunately he quickly came to his senses.
“But that’s the situation of Mamelodi Sundowns. We know that the expectations on us are very high and our commitment in terms of motivation to give quality work for the players and stimulus to raise their performance is big.”
Evidently also big is Cardoso’s lack of thick skin to handle opinions regarding his team. The general notion in the local game is that Sundowns – their reaching last year’s Champions League final notwithstanding – are not playing at their best. That view grates the Portuguese’s tits.
“It’s interesting because you are always asking ‘when is the best? When is the best? When is the best?’ It seems that it is never enough. I don’t see people shouting (at) no one else in such a way to the other teams. We won five (against Remo Stars) . It’s not enough; it’s because the guys are weak. It’s never enough! It’s never enough! It seems like that’s really high standards when it is us.”
Again, Cardoso corrected himself.
“But it is good because then it means people believe in what we do. It means that we, in the past – a long time ago and recently – set the standard high and people have expectations that life is always on the hype.”
And that’s just how it is. When a club puts itself on a pedestal like Sundowns have done, expectations are that they should stay there.
“But if people look inside their houses; their jobs; their careers; what they do in general – they will realize that things are not always hype. Teams are built and rebuilt and reorganized and taken from the point where they are toward the future. And they are taken from the point where they were toward the future. And we had a very, very tough period after the (FIFA) Club World Cup. But I expect the team to grow in the medium term, not automatically after two or three days.”
Well, Mr Cardoso, the unfortunate reality for you is that you just don’t have the luxury of time. Not at the club that you are in charge of; a club where high standards have been set by your predecessors. After all, you came in highly recommended; your employers talked you up as the man to deliver African club football’s Holy Grail, the Champions League title.
And until you do that, you better get used to the fact that reaching the final is not going to be seen as success.
