Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has opened up on the roles of veteran stars Themba Zwane and Denis Onyango, revealing that the two club legends approached him before the start of the season to remove any concerns over their status in the squad.
Zwane, 35, and Onyango, 40, remain among the most experienced figures in the Sundowns dressing room, but questions have naturally surrounded how much they will feature as the Brazilians look to maintain their dominance domestically and compete on multiple fronts.
However, Cardoso insists Zwane’s age will not determine his opportunities, pointing instead to what the former Bafana Bafana captain can still offer on the pitch.
“Themba is a very important player for us, he’s important by what he can still do on any pitch, remember the MTN8 match, he entered, picked the ball from the back, made two or three combinations, progressed the ball with other players, combining and giving an assist for the goal,” Cardoso said.
“So never, Miguel, as a coach, having a Themba in the squad, will look at him just as a number, yes like all the others, but not as a player who cannot play. Come on, age is not that, he’s much more important than that, in the example of his silent leadership.
“In his example of how he commits, what he does on a regular basis, he trains wonderfully everyday.”
Cardoso revealed that he has discussed playing time with Zwane, but said the midfielder’s approach to the situation demonstrated the character he brings to the squad.
“Of course I had a talk to him [about game-time], but he’s so big as a human being it was not me calling him,” the Portuguese coach explained.
“It was him coming to me, not only him, him and Denis [Onyango], they both came to me two weeks ago before the first match of the MTN8 and they said, ‘coach we just want you to feel in peace regarding ourselves’.”
The conversation appears to have been significant for Cardoso, with both players making it clear that they would respect his decisions regardless of their illustrious history at the club.
“‘We want you to feel 100% free to make your choice without worrying about our past’ and I just told them, ‘look guys, I’m just more certain about the level of human beings you are’, because it’s important to have that understanding from their side, obviously,” he added.
For Cardoso, the message from two of Sundowns’ most decorated senior figures underlines the strength of the dressing room and allows him to make selection decisions based on current performance rather than reputation.
Zwane has already demonstrated that he can still influence matches when called upon, while Onyango’s experience remains an important asset as Sundowns navigate a demanding campaign.
Rather than seeing their advancing years as a limitation, Cardoso appears to view the pair as valuable figures whose contribution extends beyond simply starting matches.