Mamelodi Sundowns found emotional escape in Austria after Jayden Adams’ death

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says the club’s pre-season trip to Austria gave his players the space they needed to cope with the death of midfielder Jayden Adams and prepare for a demanding campaign.

Adams died last month, shortly after Sundowns had begun their pre-season preparations. The midfielder had been part of the Bafana Bafana squad at the FIFA World Cup in June.

Sundowns postponed their planned departure for Austria so they could pay their final respects to Adams. The disruption also led the club to ask the Premier Soccer League to delay their opening Betway Premiership match against Marumo Gallants, a request that was granted.

Cardoso believes leaving South Africa helped the squad deal with its grief while allowing preparations for the new season to resume in a different setting.

“I think it was an important turnover in terms of emotions. We had to interrupt the pre-season. We went to the memorial (of Jayden Adams). We were not in the best place emotionally, so coming out of the country and escaping a little bit from the context was very important. Indeed, that’s the first positive aspect we need to highlight to keep the team together. As much as we still had to deal with the funeral, it was very important that we could go through this emotional collective moment together. That is a positive thing because I think we ended the camp in the right spot,” Cardoso told the Sundowns media department.

The Austrian camp also provided Sundowns with the opportunity to face stronger opposition than they would generally encounter in domestic pre-season fixtures. Cardoso said that challenge was particularly valuable after the club’s CAF Champions League success last season and ahead of a schedule that includes the FIFA Intercontinental Cup later this year.

“In terms of sports side, the preparation is a good opportunity that the club provides the team to come abroad, where we can find opponents in a level that is difficult (than) in South Africa because we don’t play preparation games against our strongest rivals. That is the important question regarding the future of this team and the competitions we have this year, and also focusing on the (Club) World Cup in 2029 where we have to accumulate throughout the years we have until then. Experience some international level for the youngsters also to profit from it and grow, and also for the team to grow on the level of challenges we are going to face throughout the season. Mission accomplished, some tough opponents on the way and positive outcomes from it.

“We had to deal with a lot of situations. A lot of players were here and then out of the preparation, but we went through that working everyday with a strong focus on the development of the team and on challenging the players for that. Team building, so spirit on the team, receiving the new ones (players) and making them feel part of the family and welcoming them in the best way.”

Cardoso said the camp was important not only for match preparation but also for rebuilding team spirit. With several players joining or leaving the group during the period, the coaching staff focused on integrating new arrivals and maintaining a sense of unity.

Sundowns will begin their MTN8 campaign this weekend before opening their Betway Premiership season against TS Galaxy on 11 August.

The Tshwane club face a long campaign after winning the CAF Champions League last season, with the FIFA Intercontinental Cup adding to their international commitments. Cardoso said the experience gained in Austria, particularly by the younger players, would help the squad grow accustomed to the level of competition expected throughout the year.