Cardoso urges patience as Sundowns new signing Maku adapts to Chloorkop

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has warned that Lazola Maku will need time to adjust before he can challenge for a regular place in the Betway Premiership champions’ starting team.

The 19-year-old midfielder joined Sundowns as a free agent this week after leaving Siwelele when his contract expired in July. He has signed a long-term deal with Masandawana.

Maku had previously considered a move abroad and attended trials with several clubs in Austria. He returned to South Africa before captaining the national Under-20 side to victory in the COSAFA Cup.

His performances for the youth national team enhanced his standing as one of the country’s promising midfielders and helped secure his move to Chloorkop, where he will continue his development.

However, Sundowns have significant competition in midfield, and Cardoso has used Jayden Adams’ experience to illustrate the difficulties young players can face when joining the club.

“It’s not easy to arrive at Sundowns and have a place automatically. Even Jayden had difficulties imposing himself immediately, so don’t put pressure on the boy, let him settle,” Cardoso said.

“He just arrived, but he’s been comfortable amongst us.”

‘We recognise the quality’

Cardoso said Sundowns’ faith in Maku’s ability was not in doubt, but stressed that the midfielder first needed to become familiar with his surroundings and the tactical demands of the team.

“But there is a lot of competition there [in midfield]. He will have to prove a lot. Putting pressure on him or us doesn’t mean we don’t trust or recognise the quality, because we do, we trust and recognise the quality,” he added.

“But let the boy have the time to settle down and feel comfortable amongst us, to understand what we want from him.”

Sundowns’ depth in midfield means Maku will have to earn his opportunities through his work in training and his performances when he is selected in competitive matches.

Cardoso said the player’s prospects of featuring regularly would depend on how he performed in competition with his team-mates.

“There’s many players in his place. It will come from the fight that comes against the others, the possibility for him to play or not,” he concluded.

Maku’s move represents an important stage in his career, giving him the chance to develop alongside some of South Africa’s leading players while competing for honours at one of Africa’s biggest clubs.