Miguel Cardoso launches scathing attack on SA football 'cat and mouse' mentality

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Cardoso slams SA football, mentality of PSL clubs

Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/ BackPagePix

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has launched a scathing attack on South African football and the ‘cat and mouse’ mentality adopted by PSL clubs.

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This comes in the wake of Orbit College's refusal to reschedule their Betway Premiership match against the Brazilians to an earlier date to accommodate the Tshwane giants' CAF Champions League commitments.

Cardoso questioned the lack of domestic fixture relief afforded to South African teams participating in CAF inter-club competitions by the PSL, citing Ligue 1 and PSG example.

“I think South Africa needs to understand a little bit whatever they want. I'll give you an example, how is it possible that we're going to play on Tuesday, we tried to change the date of this match and the only thing we could [get] is even go play in a pitch where the conditions are even worse to be played. And two days after, we have to play a quarterfinal of a Champions League,” he said.

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"This week Ligue 1 in France delayed, officially Ligue 1 not PSG, Ligue 1 said you don't play your matches during this week because you have to be in [good] conditions to play Chelsea, and us? So, already other teams this season during the qualification rounds delayed matches to play the qualifying matches.

"Last year the Championship finished and there were teams still playing after we were already champions, so, water for someone is water but for others it's wine. I really don't understand, maybe I'm out of this world, maybe I don't know nothing of South African football. There was a coach that said I know nothing about South African football - I don't need to know. But I know what we feel as coaches, as players, as clubs, to be put in a situation like that.

The Downs mentor went on to state that Sundowns represents the entire South Africa in their continental outings, and suggested that club officials are each other's sworn enemies of progress.

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“We don't defend just the badge of Sundowns, we defend South Africa as a nation when we play Champions League. When I'm in Portugal and it's either Benfica or Sporting Braga, Vitoria Guimaraes, or whoever playing internationally, I want them to win. But here we play this cat and dog or mouse and cat game that I want you to lose when you go play there,” Cardoso added.

"We want really to have this kind of positioning or we want to really defend collectively the South African football? Last year I was very happy seeing Pirates playing the semi-final of the Champions League and I was not happy that this season they lost in the qualifying rounds in Lupopo - I was not happy. I would like to see them playing and Kaizer Chiefs going forward because that's what makes the dimension of the football where I'm part of it bigger. And I want South African football to be listened [about] everywhere.

"As I told you, the President called me because he wants me to speak in the biggest congress of football in Portugal and you know what he asked me? I want you to tell everybody in Portugal what is the reality of South African football. And my question is what should I say? This? Or I should paint it beautiful and make it a very beautiful package and offer it to Portugal? What should I do? Or tell the truth? Because if I tell some things that happen here, people will say it's not possible, really, believe me.

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"And when national team participates in international tournaments, the level and organisation is completely different. It's like when Sundowns goes abroad, and it's a reality. We need really to think about this, how we want the football to be in 10 years in South Africa, and I don't see those thoughts taken deeply and I still see people fighting against each other. Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, Stellenbosch, Sekhukhune, TS Galaxy, and teams up to Durban City and up to the last one in the table, are teams that should join efforts to develop South African football. It's a joint venture, it's not an individual effort. As much as we defend the business itself, the more the clubs will be powerful.

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