It is a common trend in South African football that when a new manager from abroad arrives, fans tend to judge him based on his CV.
However, newly appointed Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has urged fans not to focus on his resume but rather on the work he will deliver on the field of play.
Cardoso is not a stranger to Sundowns. He previously denied the Brazilians a chance to play in the Caf Champions League final for the third time in the club’s history during his tenure with Tunisian giants Esperance.
The Portuguese tactician boasts a strong track record of success. During the 2016/17 season, he won both the Ukrainian Championship and the Ukrainian Cup with Shakhtar Donetsk as an assistant coach.
Most recently, he led Esperance to the Tunisian Championship in the previous campaign as the head coach.
Now at Sundowns, Cardoso aims to let his performance and results speak for themselves, promising that his work on the pitch will be the ultimate measure of his abilities.
“It’s really interesting these discussions because we live in a society and we live in a sport where people judge the CVs by the trophies,” Cardoso said.
“But sometimes they forget that in order to win not only you need to be in the context where you can truly fight to win.
“But sometimes you are in the context where winning is not getting you trophies.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says people must NOT judge him just by looking at his CV.
— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) December 10, 2024
WATCH part of his interview ➡️➡️➡️https://t.co/XgSheeaSYo pic.twitter.com/9N39GIfG0w
“For example, I have (reached) four finals of big competitions clubs, we won zero. I’m speaking about Youth League U19 in Shakhtar Donetsk, I’m speaking about Europa League with Bragga, I’m speaking about Caf Champions League with Esperance.
“My God, being in those finals is so big that when you look at my CV don’t judge because we lost that game (Champions League final) judge it because we won to get there.
“For you probably to be here there are many, many, journalists that didn’t arrive at where you are.
“And probably you are not the best TV channel or the best journo, but you are there because no one refused to give you this opportunity.
“I waited one and half year, without work, to work at a club where I had a chance to win a trophy. Because I know how society is, and society also judges you by the trophies.
“So, I wanted to work at a club where I could win and when I get it I succussed and I won. I’m the champion of Tunisia at the moment and the club (Esperance) was not in the position of winning at that moment.
“It was really struggling even to get out in the group stages of the Champions League and we made it.
“Because we believed and prepared ourselves. So, when judge a coach you judge a lot of things.
“By how many players he developed when he was at Shakhtar Donetsk and now there are international players who plays for the best clubs in the world.
“(Luka) Modric, (Oleksandr) Zinchenko, and Viktor Kovalenko this is also testimonials that I had in previous clubs.”
The year-52-old will be leading Masandwana this season to try and defend their league title and contest for Caf Champions League, Fifa Club World Cup, and Nedbank Cup.
New Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso's stats since his first HEAD COACH job at Rio Ave in 2017.
— Austin Ditlhobolo (@A_B_Ditlhobolo) December 10, 2024
44 Wins
27 Draws
44 Defeats
115 Matches in Total
146 Goals Scored
147 Goals Conceded pic.twitter.com/t8AAnfXeDv
