Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has reiterated his desire to trim his squad further by the end of the transfer window.
Sundowns are among teams with the biggest squads in the PSL and have benefited from their depth and quality but Cardoso feels the team is bloated and needs to be cut down.
The Portuguese has already seen the release of Kobamelo Kodisang, who went out on loan, Sanele Shabalala, Thabang Sibayoni, Sifiso Ngobeni, Lebohang Maboe, Sipho Mbule and Rivaldo Coetzee while Lucas Suarez returned to his club after the end of his loan deal.
Thembinkosi Lorch is also unwanted at the club after his loan deal with Wydad Athletic Club ended while the future of Peter Shalulile is still unknown. Sundowns have also signed another left-back on Fawaaz Basadien which means one or two in the position will leave and Cardoso has explained the need for a lean squad.
Sundowns coach keen on a lean squad
“The intention is still to reduce the numbers, we will do it together,” Cardoso told the media on Sunday after watching his team thrash Richards Bay 4-0 in the MTN8 quarter-final.
“It is not only my opinion to reduce the squad. We should remember in South Africa, the squad will never be the same as in Europe or Portugal because [there], you have 23, 24 and then you have the second team.
“But we play three, four days like the whole season so the squads here are bigger and that is the reality I understood from the beginning.”
However, Cardoso is keen to ensure he has players who will feel important and will be utilized regularly to increase competition for a starting place in the team and not just to make the numbers.
Why does Cardoso want to offload more players?
“The team will be for sure smaller than last year but we will not be so small like we have in Portugal. We need to have enough level of competition so that whenever we have an injury or suspension, we have to have numbers but at the same time, we cannot have players that permanently are not used,” he added.
“They drop the motivation and permanently are on the side and that is a spirit we do not want. We want the players to feel that they are there and feel important and will play regularly and that is why we had the decision to try to reduce the squad. It will be made with me, sports director and board.”
Meanwhile, while Sundowns ponder who else to offload, playmaker Lucas Ribeiro’s future is uncertain as he has attracted interest from Brazilian side Fluminense as well as Qatar SC who are reported to have submitted their bids.
Ribeiro was among star players who missed Sunday’s match, the others being Shalulile and right-back Khuliso Mudau, raising questions over their futures.
