Miguel Cardoso has hit back at the critics after guiding Mamelodi Sundowns to yet another CAF Champions League final. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Miguel Cardoso has revealed that he never doubted he would finish the season at the club, insisting that the support and trust he received from those around him have been the driving force behind their push to the final stages of continental football.
Mamelodi Sundowns reached the final of the CAF Champions League after a 2-0 aggregate victory over Espérance in the semi-finals. Both legs – played in Tunis last Sunday and in Hatfield a week later – ended in narrow 1-0 wins.
Reaching the final marks a significant milestone for both Cardoso and the club. It is their second consecutive final together, and the third successive final appearance of Cardoso’s career overall.
Following a turbulent end to the year, speculation had been rife that Cardoso could be sacked amid growing frustration from fans, supporters, and former players over a dip in performances and results. However, after what he described as “one of the best nights of my life",” Cardoso insisted he never doubted his immediate future at the club and chose to ignore the outside noise.
“Those kinds of people don’t really matter in my life,” Cardoso said after the 1-0 win in the nation’s capital. “I live for the energy that comes from the ones who are important in my life.
“It’s clear that people say ‘we’ didn’t know whether I would stay, but ‘we’ knew that I would stay – myself, the assistants, the management, the club and the players. The ones who wanted me out are probably the ones who (don’t) have the power to decide whether I go or stay.”
While expressing gratitude to everyone who contributed to the team’s progress, Cardoso was quick to deflect attention away from himself.
“I don’t look at this moment as an individual achievement, but as a club and players’ achievement – it’s their job and their high level of commitment, not mine,” he said. “I just try to facilitate and not complicate anything.”