Sundowns Coach’s Assessment On Four Signings

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso. Photo: Gallo Images

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has given his assessment of the four signings the club made during the transfer window. 

It was one of Sundowns’ least busiest window periods, as they brought in Fawaaz Basadien, Katlego ‘Tsiki’ Ntsabeleng, as well as Portuguese midfielder Nuno Santos and Miguel Reisinho.

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Basadien has struggled with game time at left back and, as a result, has lost his place in the Bafana Bafana squad. Aubrey Modiba has been performing well at left back and Basadien has to wait patiently to get his opportunity. 

Ntsabeleng, who joined the Tshwane giants on loan, is showing promising signs in the time he has had on the pitch. Santos is probably the most settled of all the signings, while Reisnho is still finding his feet after picking up a red card in his first match for the club against Marumo Gallants in the Carling Knockout. 

Ntsabeleng, Santos and Reisinho have all scored for the club, so that gives Cardoso reason to believe that there is still a lot more to come from them in terms of positive contributions to the side.

“The four players we brought in, remember this was the smallest market in the last five years. It does not mean it was not good. They had different processes of integration. With Fawaaz, and I want you to understand the word I am going to use, struggling with the competition? He is not struggling. All of them are struggling because of the competition in that position. Asekho (Tiwani) is also struggling, Thato Sibiya is also struggling and Divine Lunga is also struggling. Aubrey is in a good level in the moment and let’s hope he can continue, we never know,” Cardoso said after Sundowns’ CAF Champions League victory over Remo Stars on Sunday.

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“Tsiki arrived not in the best place, but we see him develop. He grew a lot in the last two, three weeks. He is giving steps towards what we want from him. Nuno and Miguel are in two different positions. Unfortunately, Miguel missed the opportunity to play more consistently through the fact that he got the red card in the first match he entered and that took him even out of today’s match (against Remo Stars) to give him more time because we know he cannot play the next two matches. He is a player who has the quality of Sundowns.”

“Nuno arrived and he played immediately. He got confident and he got the man of the match (award) in the first match at home. He is an English speaker and I think the adaptation of both has been good. I think the players are in a more comfortable position.”

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