Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe has given credit to the club’s former coach Manqoba Mngqithi after Masandawana lifted the Betway Premiership.
Mngqithi was sacked by the club midway through the season following an inconsistent start to the campaign after he had replaced Rulani Mokwena.
Miguel Cardoso was appointed as his successor and has gone on to guide the team to their eighth league title and CAF Champions League final.
While he praised Cardoso for their recent success, Motsepe extended words of thanks to Mngqithi and Wendell Robinson [ex-goalkeeper coach] who parted ways with the club in the midseason.
’WE MUST SAY THANK YOU TO THEM’
“We played against him in the Champions League last year in the semi-finals, and he has a very good way of how he has motivated the players,” he said on SABC Sport as quoted by iDiski Times.
“When we had to make the change, it was difficult because we had some coaches who were part of our DNA for a very long time.
“And I think I must take this moment – this is Cardoso’s day, this is Mamelodi Sundowns’ day, but I must just take a moment to say thank you to coach Wendell [Robinson], coach Manqoba Mngqithi as well and the team that was around them.
“Because we are able to have a team right now that’s performing at this level, that has reached this peak in performance because when he started the season, he was rotating the team, because we knew it was going to be a long season ahead and we had a lot to compete for.
“Again, it’s coach Miguel’s moment and we’re so proud of what he’s done. When he came, he wanted to connect with the culture, he was so fascinated by the country, and he rewarded the fans with this trophy in his first season.”
