Cardoso backtracks on Sundowns fans comments after fiery backlash
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has moved to clarify his controversial comments about the club’s supporters.
Cardoso sparked a strong reaction earlier this week when he suggested that some of the fans who speak the loudest “don’t really follow the team”.
His comments came under scrutiny ahead of Sundowns’ clash with Marumo Gallants.
However, after Sundowns secured a 2-0 victory at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday, Cardoso explained that his remarks were not aimed at supporters who attend matches and back the team. “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 wasn’t speaking about all the fans, I was talking about the ones that are usually very ready to complain… He then appreciated the supporters who came in numbers to support the team, and sand throughout the match. “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“.
“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“.
“We have gone 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.
“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.”
Cardoso’s clarification comes after his earlier comments caused concern among a section of the Sundowns fanbase. The 2-0 victory over Gallants, meanwhile, has eased some of the pressure surrounding the Portuguese coach.
