Cardoso Encourages Focus As Sundowns Face Lupopo

Miguel Cardoso. Photo: Gallo Images/Lefty Shivambu

Miguel Cardoso urges Mamelodi Sundowns to stay focused and disciplined as they prepare for a crucial continental showdown against St Eloi Lupopo.

After watching St Eloi Lupopo play against Orlando Pirates in the last round of the CAF Champions League at the Orlando Stadium, in a game full of emotions, Mamelodi Sundowns’ coach Miguel Cardoso has said he wants to see his players keep their minds on their behaviour when they face the DRC side.

The clubs will face off in the Group C opening game on Saturday at the Loftus Stadium in Pretoria. 

Addressing journalists on Thursday afternoon at Chloorkop ahead of the game, Cardoso said that he makes sure he stays away from the negative things to avoid getting emotionally involved.

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“We try, always, to make players understand that any emotion that is not proper to play a football match should be left in the locker room. Whatever happens inside the pitch should always be managed emotionally in the right way from the training session.”

In reflecting on prior experiences, he added:

“You remember last year when we played at home against Esperance, that there was a clash between the players and how I was so aggressive in taking them out of that mix of players, the confusion and noise. Because I always want the players to keep their minds and focus on their behaviour.”

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Cardoso says that being too emotionally invested in a match often leads to a lack of good decision-making.

“If we don’t keep our minds and focus on this, unfortunately, we won’t make good decisions. This is how I see it as a coach… You know that I’m probably always the last one to enter the pitch and not always the first one to go out.

“I always escape from emotions, the negative ones, as much as I can, so that I can focus on what is my job. I think that’s what the players need to do.”

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