Mamelodi Sundowns Sporting Director Flemming Berg is set to continue his role with the club beyond the 2024/25 season after months of speculation over his long-term future with the league champions.
In April 2022, Sundowns announced Berg for the role, in which he was presented to the media with one purpose: take Sundowns to the next level with his extensive experience in Europe after seven years as Head of Elite Football Development at the Danish Football Association.
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During his spell with the DFA, the nation’s fortunes evolved with an influx of youth philosophy emerging at top European clubs, and their performances in major tournaments improved, having reached the semi-finals of the European Championship and moving from 46 to ninth in the FIFA rankings between 2016 and 2021.
He was praised for developing the ‘Talent ID’ and playing philosophy across all levels of their national team, while he also had time with Premier League giants Chelsea, working as one of their international scouts for seven years.
Coming into a side who had just won the domestic treble with co-head coaches Rulani Mokwena and Manqoba Mngqithi, there were questions – why now? Sundowns were seemingly heading from strength to strength and while his arrival divided opinion, Chairman Thlopie Motsepe stated at his unveiling that he was brought in to improve the development structures, football methodology, from first team to youth, to the women’s team and develop elite youth for the first-team or to be sold abroad.
Having won the league in each of the past eight seasons, the three league titles, were expected during his tenure, and the appointment of Miguel Cardoso mid-way through the 2024/25 season could have been seen as a gamble, but they are now two games away from delivering the second star for the club as they qualified for the final for the first time since winning the competition in 2016.
The goal-scoring prowess and luring in talent with the help of assistant Ryan Hunt through data-analysis scouting has been a clear new direction, having brought in Tashreeq Matthews, Marcelo Allende, Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Arthur Sales and Lucas Suarez, also with the help of the TransferRoom which has become a major talking point in the industry of late.
But one could question this season, only Malibongwe Khoza has been a young talent from the academy gaining regular minutes, and there’s yet to be one major sale to a European club, which was stated to be part of his role when appointed. However, Sundowns are keen to continue the relationship and have activated his option to extend for a further season.
Berg is said to be happy at Sundowns, and likewise the club, and believes the fruits of his work, revamping the technical staff in development and recruitment drive for the best talent around the country, added to the development of an elite academy will bear fruit in the not-so-distant future.
And while the option was extended for another season, it won’t be unlikely to see him committing for a longer term with the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup-bound outfit.
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