Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says Marumo Gallants manager Phuti Mohafe has consistently proved a difficult opponent ahead of their Betway Premiership clash on Wednesday.
Cardoso was speaking at a pre-match press conference at Chloorkop ahead of the fixture at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, where he reflected on his previous meetings with Mohafe, including during his time in charge of Polokwane City.
The Portuguese coach praised the quality within the Marumo Gallants squad and acknowledged the tactical challenges Mohafe has presented in previous encounters.
“Look, first of all, Marumo has players that are very interesting. Secondly, it’s true. The coach, in the past, he made difficult times, life for Sundowns,” Cardoso said.
Cardoso also revisited concerns over some of Sundowns’ previous matches against Polokwane City being played at the smaller Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
He suggested that playing at a smaller venue limited Sundowns’ ability to impose their style and believed opponents may have viewed the change of venue as a strategy to disrupt their game.
“I also remember that most of those matches were played in that second stadium in Polokwane. It was like a strategy to take Sundowns there to not allow the game to be played in the way it has to be played,” he said.
Cardoso believes South African football needs greater consistency in ensuring that important matches are played at quality venues and on good playing surfaces.
He pointed to the standards seen at major competitions such as the Africa Cup of Nations, FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League as examples of the conditions required to help football develop.
“Best players or good matches should be played in the best pitches. That’s how South Africa will develop,” he said.
The Sundowns coach, however, acknowledged that playing conditions are not the only factor that determines the difficulty of a match.
He recalled his side’s difficult encounter with TS Galaxy despite playing in a large stadium with an excellent pitch, arguing that the challenge is also psychological and comes down to the mentality and commitment of teams.
“It’s not because of the pitch. It’s just a mental situation. It’s just the way teams have to commit themselves with developing for high level,” Cardoso said.
Cardoso expects another demanding encounter against Mohafe but insists Sundowns cannot rely on hope to secure victory.
“So yeah, of course, it was a good challenge to face the coach again. Let’s hope we can succeed. But more than hope, let’s work for it to happen,” he added.
Sundowns will now look to turn their preparation into a positive result when they take on Marumo Gallants, with Cardoso emphasising the importance of hard work in securing success.
