Cardoso clarifies fan comments after Sundowns’ win over Marumo Gallants

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has clarified remarks that were widely interpreted as criticism of the club’s supporters, insisting his comments were aimed at those who complain without fully following the team.

Cardoso spoke after Sundowns beat Marumo Gallants 2-0 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday. The result followed several days of controversy surrounding comments he made during the club’s media day, when he appeared to question the understanding of some fans.

“Unfortunately, at Sundowns, the fans, I think those who talk too much are the ones who don’t really follow the team. They speak too much and understand too little,” he said earlier in the week.

The comments prompted a strong reaction from supporters, many of whom believed Cardoso had directed his criticism at the fans more generally. However, after the victory over Marumo Gallants, the Portuguese coach said he was referring only to a particular group of outspoken critics and not those who regularly attend matches.

“We just need the support of our fans,” he told SuperSport TV.

“This week I spoke about that and maybe people didn’t understand the message.

“I didn’t speak for the fans, I spoke for the ones that are usually very ready to complain. Because this level of support in the stadium is permanent.

“And we never turn our back to them, the fans are our heart, the heart of the club is the fans.

Cardoso said the players, rather than the coach, were the people who needed encouragement, adding that he would continue to defend them when performances fell below their best.

“But we need support and mostly the players need support, the coach doesn’t need support, the players need support and I will always defend my players.

“They do their best, sometimes they play better, sometimes they don’t play so good but I think we’ve beaten a record in South African history of football.

The victory over Marumo Gallants extended Sundowns’ unbeaten home run to 31 matches, a record Cardoso believes should be recognised when supporters assess the team’s performances.

“31 matches without losing home matches, and this is what people need to remember, since we are in the club we are beating record after record – and it’s important that people sustain and give support in the bad moments when players need.

Cardoso also argued that Sundowns had not experienced many poor periods and called for continued unity around the team. He urged everyone connected with the club to remain humble while maintaining the determination to compete for results in every match.

“And I don’t see many bad moments happening. Let’s continue to be humble, all together. Show the quality and fight for results match after match, that’s what we have to do.”

His explanation came after a week in which many Sundowns fans had reacted angrily to his initial comments. Cardoso’s latest message was intended to distinguish between the supporters who consistently attend matches and those he believes are quick to complain without following the team closely.

The 2-0 win at Loftus Versfeld Stadium gave Sundowns a positive response on the pitch, while Cardoso used his post-match interview to reaffirm the importance of the relationship between the players, the coaching staff and the club’s supporters.