Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe has defended the club's decision to retain head coach Miguel Cardoso after the disappointment of losing the 2025 CAF Champions League final. Motsepe argued that the long-term vision and stability under Cardoso were more important than a short-term reaction to the defeat against Pyramids FC.

Speaking about the period following the final, Motsepe said there was a moral obligation to protect the coach during a turbulent time. "An important factor was the feeling that I had to say, ‘Can we really release somebody in the short space, in this bumpy period?’" he explained. He insisted that leadership requires tuning out supporter noise to focus on the bigger picture, and that you do not sack a coach at the first sign of shakiness unless results and performances are catastrophically bad.

Motsepe pointed to the team's performances on the global stage as clear evidence of progress. He highlighted how Sundowns pushed Borussia Dortmund to the limit in a high-scoring defeat at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, showing tactical maturation and new defensive grit. The chairman described the team's evolution as a necessary shift from a historically expansive 'shoeshine and piano' style to a more robust approach essential for elite tournament football. He questioned the logic of dismissing a coach who had instilled such fearlessness in the squad against world-class opposition.

Under Miguel Cardoso, Sundowns ended a decade-long wait by reaching and then winning the CAF Champions League. That continental triumph, secured after surviving pressure for his dismissal, marked a historic turning point. The coach also led the team to victory in the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup. Cardoso, who replaced interim boss Manqoba Mngqithi in December 2024, built on a foundation laid after Rulani Mokwena's departure following a semi-final exit the previous season.

Motsepe reviewed past continental exits where technical superiority did not guarantee progression, acknowledging that teams which beat Sundowns simply scored more and conceded less. The focus now shifts to maintaining that Betway Premiership lead, with the next challenge an away trip to face Richards Bay on 17 October.

The report in full is at Goal.com