Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has opened up on the debut season of Brazilian forward Arthur Sales and amidst his impressive run of form.
Sales, 22, has divided opinion since his reported record transfer from Belgian side SK Lommel and has been rotated in and out of the first eleven since.
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Due to his massive price tag, believed to be close to R60-million, Sales arrived with lofty expectations but only recently nailed down a regular spot in the starting line-up, and has now registered three assists and a goal in his last three games.
“We are a club that has a squad with numbers, there’s many players, and sometimes that fact some players are not performing, means there’s some others who are performing at a higher level, putting a shadow on the other one,” Cardoso said.
“We say inside the locker-room, as coaches, there’s a thin line at Sundowns between being very important and becoming a player you don’t use so much because the balance in quality is so good, there’s no small, no big players, there aren’t.
“That’s why I am so comfortable to change players because the answer they give is exactly according to the quality they have and Sales was a bit in the shadows, but you remember before he started playing in these last few matches, every time he went on the pitch, he gave us something.
“He scored or assisted, he helped to change matches, for me it was very comfortable to have him on the bench, because I knew I had a player that when he entered the pitch, he always gave something.”
Cardoso’s predecessor Manqoba Mnqgithi stated he wasn’t the target man many people expected due to his height, but is a technically gifted, talented forward who can play between the lines, take players on and has composure to develop into a prolific striker.
But with Iqraam Rayners, Tashreeq Matthews, Peter Shalulile, Lucas Ribeiro Costa, all showing impressive form, helping Sundowns to a record 57 goals in 25 games – Sales had needed to be patient, often being used as a second half substitute.
“Maybe I was a bit jealous myself, not lining up the first XI with him, but having him on the bench, I was sure I would have a player that can explode and bring something on the pitch, when I put him inside, and now he’s taken his opportunity with two hands,” Cardoso continued.
“He’s doing well, doing very well, I’m very happy, very happy for him and because his performances is affecting the team positively, so there’s a relation to everyone’s work or individual work, with the collective output or outcome that we have together, and I see more players appearing.
“It’s moments of the season, there are times where some or up, others are down but I’m happy that most of all, we have a big commitment, they are happy, living with joy, no pressure, that brings the best from everyone. But still I wish I could give more players, more time, more possibilities but it’s impossible.
“As much as we rotate because we are rotating, you can’t rotate [the whole team], you will lose some of the lines that glue us in terms of behaviour inside the pitch, so we’re doing it gradually to keep the team functioning and we’re doing well and so are the players.”
Overall, Sales has six goals with 10 assists in 34 games across all competitions this season.
