Mamelodi Sundowns ready to help Monnapule Saleng return to action

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says the club will support Monnapule Saleng as the winger works towards a return to first-team football.

Saleng has not played for Sundowns this season after disciplinary issues kept him out of the squad for their trip to Morocco for the CAF Champions League final against AS FAR in May.

The former Orlando Pirates player has continued to train separately at Chloorkop, although he travelled with the squad to KwaZulu-Natal for Saturday’s MTN8 final and their league match three days later.

Cardoso said Saleng had trained consistently and was gradually rebuilding his relationship with the club, but could not give a date for his return.

“The same way I spoke about Saleng when I last spoke about him, we as [the] club – me, the Sporting Director, the players, the captains, the chairman – we decided to give ourselves and Saleng an opportunity to move forward in a positive way,” said the Portuguese coach after Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Richards Bay FC at Princess Magogo Stadium.

“Saleng trained, during a period, alone and he trained quite consistently and with [the] respect we need to have within a professional team.

“We are happy that he is showing consistency at training [and hope] obviously that his time will appear in a certain moment, I am pretty sure. But when [that] would be, I don’t know.”

Cardoso also warned that competition for places is stronger at Sundowns than it has been previously, with several attacking players competing for selection.

“But you must understand this season we have more options in the front than in the past. You see Lebo [Mothiba] is here but not on the bench. We have Saleng, Tsiki [Ntsabeleng] Ntsikie, we have other players also not here today. They have to fight themselves to get their position.

“He will appear, I am pretty sure he will appear; he is a player we trust. What I mean when I say trust is that we’re trying to create a positive relation between the parties so that I can trust him, he can trust me, we can trust each other. In that manner, we are going to be able to perform.”

Cardoso said he had shown his backing for Saleng during the MTN8 celebrations, when he encouraged him to lift the trophy.

“You saw me going to celebrate with him, pushing him to lift the MTN8 cup because I support him. We are a special club, that probably with another club he wouldn’t be in that process, but at Sundowns we want the best for everybody,” added Cardoso.

It remains uncertain whether the Bloemhof-born player will return to the 18-man squad for Sundowns’ CAF Champions League second preliminary round first leg against Wielete in Angola on Sunday at 17:00.