Mamelodi Sundowns Chairman Thlopie Motsepe has backed head coach Miguel Cardoso and his technical team amidst sections of supporters calling for his exit this season.
Cardoso has come under immense scrutiny and pressure this season after their domestic cup exits and performances in the league not being up to their usual standards, despite being on top of the table by goal difference ahead of Orlando Pirates.
Sundowns are also in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League where they have been drawn with a favourable opposition in Stade Malien, first-timers of this stage of the competition.
But this was after two massive back to back wins, in beating MC Alger, led by former head coach and fan-favouirte Rulani MOkwena and then the 2-1 win over Pirates a few days later to sway the title race back in Sundowns’ favour.
“As a football club, we hear the fans, we hear the frustrations they felt at the time, but again, it’s about empathy and understanding their circumstances and also then understanding the technical team and the coaches circumstances,” Motsepe said.
“The supporters come from a position where there’s a lot of pressure on them from the outside world, from maybe supporters of other teams, it’s the nature of the competition, and so the pressure they find themselves under when not performing to the standards they hope – those frustrations are voiced.
“We hear them, but we’re long-term club, we look at a project in terms of it’s entirety and our supporters have been with us a very long time, and we also look at our coaches and say we want to be with you for a long period so we can achieve our targets.
“At this moment we have a lot of support and faith in our coaches and technical team, they have done a great job to keep the team together and also focus at the task at hand and take us to where we are right now.
“So if there’s a message to the Sundowns supporters, it would be to say, the supporters we saw at Loftus when we played MC Alger, thank you so much for the faith and support they showed in the team.
“It was a do-or-die match and would have been easy for them not to come to the stadium. Or write us off, but they showed their support in terms of their numbers in the stadium and in terms of how they sang and stood by us.
“They carried us from that game, to the crunch title competition on that Wednesday at FNB Stadium, so as long we continue to stay together and support one another through the tough times, I think Mamelodi Sundowns will continue to make them very happy in the future.”
Sundowns now turn their attention to another top of the table showdown as they host third-placed Sekhukhune United at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday afternoon.
