Cardoso backs Santos to rediscover form after ‘extraordinary’ Champions League performances

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has described Nuno Santos as an “extraordinary player” and says the midfielder’s inconsistent start to the new campaign should be considered in the wider context of squad uncertainty during the transfer window.

Santos was one of Sundowns’ standout performers last season, particularly during the CAF Champions League group stage, but the Portuguese playmaker has yet to reproduce those levels consistently in the early weeks of the current campaign.

Cardoso believes it would be unfair to assess Santos’ form separately from the wider circumstances affecting the squad. The Portuguese coach said the transfer market can unsettle teams and influence relationships between players, while coaches are not always able to discuss every issue publicly.

“Sometimes there are those things that you can’t expose completely, sometimes there are things that happen inside the team that coaches cannot speak freely about them, not only to do with Nuno but a lot of things,” Cardoso said.

“You should understand there’s some capacity to keep some of the things that happen, stable inside our walls. I’m not speaking about Nuno but in general, the stability comes when the moment the market closes and things start to go from there.

“You see how teams in South Africa for the moment start to struggle with these kinds of situations. It happens everywhere in the world, it’s clear the market touches people, it touches the connections and that stability helps settle down everybody so we can move forward with a clear understanding for everybody.”

The transfer window’s closure, Cardoso added, gives both players and coaches a clearer understanding of their positions and responsibilities. He said that certainty is essential if Sundowns are to develop the consistency required to compete across their various competitions.

“Where we are and who we can count with, and how much we need to be committed every day in order to be part and important to the building process we want,” he added.

Although Santos has not reached his best form on a regular basis, Cardoso was keen to stress that the midfielder’s ability remains unquestioned. He pointed to Santos’ influential performances in last season’s CAF Champions League, especially in the group stage, as evidence of what he can offer.

“Nuno is an extraordinary player – you know that,” he said.

“How he performed in the Champions League, especially throughout the group stage, he was absolutely amazing. He gave us a lot of things – that is the Nuno that we saw and when the players smile, when the players are happy, it brings flow and energy.”

Cardoso believes rebuilding that sense of enjoyment and unity is as important as the tactical work taking place during training. Sundowns’ head coach said the players’ relationships must develop if the team is to perform with greater freedom and understanding.

“That is what we need to find in everybody so that the connections happen well,” he explained.

“This week you saw images that came out in the press, the players put on social media from our locker rooms. You saw the players dancing, enjoying, laughing together.

“I think today I also addressed that to the players, that energy we need to have, and should sustain in terms of relations, so we can play football like brothers.”

The coach said a strong bond within the squad can make a decisive difference when matches become difficult, with players more willing to work and fight for one another.

“Because I always fight more for my brother than I would fight for anyone else, besides my mother, father, my son and wife,” he said.

“The continuous growth of this group is important to achieve the results we want to achieve.”

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