Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has explained why he gave winger Monnapule Saleng a run in their Carling Knockout Cup last 16 round against Marumo Gallants.
Saleng, 28, came on for his first game this season featuring for the last seven minutes as Sundowns sealed a narrow 1-0 win over Gallants and booked their place in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
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The former Orlando Pirates man had been on the side-lines since off season with the coach previously suggesting it was because of the player’s attitude to training and in the dressing room.
Cardoso said bringing him on at Loftus was a sign of how much Saleng is trusted, and if he maintains consistency he will get more game time.
“First of all, I always told you and that’s the values I found inside this club, and those values I share on myself, and I multiply with my players,” said Cardoso.
“We don’t allow ourselves to exclude a person, a human being, out of a process. Obviously, we need to understand how to relate with everything that happens, but we don’t exclude no one.
“And I think that’s an opportunity we gave to Saleng, for him to go over on his thoughts, understand about himself, show consistency, train systematically in a good level, be aware of some of the things that were important to change.
“He made his effort. He will have his chances according to the performance that will be absolutely continuously evaluated, like all the other players. And obviously, if he becomes consistent, he will have more chances. If he has more fluctuations, he’ll have less chances.
“I think today [Tuesday] we really also wanted to show him that we trust him and give him the energy to enter on a match. Maybe in a moment that would be even more easy for me to just put one more player to close the game, I still had the will to say go there.
“It’s a proof of trust and a little bit of energy for him, also to feel that we are here for him when he will need.”