Sundowns’ patience with Cardoso rewarded after AmaZulu rout

Mamelodi Sundowns legend Roger Feutmba believes the club’s uneven start to the 2026/2027 season was a natural consequence of making a large number of changes to the squad, rather than a sign that the club’s management should have acted hastily.

Sundowns responded to their inconsistent opening matches with an emphatic 5-2 victory over AmaZulu FC in a Betway Premiership fixture on Wednesday. Feutmba says the performance underlined the value of the club’s decision to support its technical staff during difficult periods instead of repeatedly changing coaches in search of immediate results.

Before the win against AmaZulu, Sundowns had produced mixed results in their opening matches of the season, while their performances had also lacked conviction. However, Feutmba believes that a team containing many new players needs time to develop understanding and consistency.

“What was happening at Sundowns in the opening stages of the season is quite normal when a club brings in so many new players; it takes time,” Feutmba tells KickOff.

He argues that Sundowns’ long-term stability has helped maintain their position as the leading club in the country. According to Feutmba, the management’s willingness to avoid making sudden decisions has also allowed Cardoso to continue working towards the club’s demanding objectives.

“Sundowns will always remain the best team in the country because they don’t chop and change coaches. Cardoso knows the mandate is to win everything. When you win games, you save your job as a coach.”

Feutmba pointed to Pitso Mosimane’s early period in charge as an example of why backing a coach can produce better results than reacting to short-term setbacks. Mosimane initially struggled and faced calls from supporters to leave, but Sundowns’ management chose to keep faith with him.

“Stability in football is very important. Remember when Pitso Mosimane started coaching at Sundowns, he didn’t do well, and the supporters wanted him to leave the club immediately, but the management backed him up. It’s the same with Cardoso; hence he managed to do well.”

The former Sundowns player also recalled that pressure had grown on the club’s management to dismiss Cardoso several months ago. Instead, the coach remained in his position and eventually guided Sundowns to Champions League success.

“Sundowns management don’t panic; they don’t chop and change just because they want results. A few months ago, there was a call from all corners to the Sundowns management to let Cardoso go, but at the end he won them the Champions League!”

Feutmba added that the size and quality of Sundowns’ squad make the manager’s task particularly demanding. He believes Cardoso has handled that responsibility effectively despite the team’s difficult start to the campaign.

“Managing such a huge, talented squad is not easy, so the Sundowns coach is doing well so far when it comes to that.”