Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has insisted he cannot take all his players in a matchday squad when quizzed about Kutlwano Lethlaku’s absence.
Lethlaku, 19, has been at the centre of massive transfer speculation, with his agent Mathew Moore telling this publication Sundowns have received a second lucrative offer from a club in Portugal for his services.
However, Sundowns seem unwilling to sell their young prodigy, with Lethlaku starting the last two league matches. However, on Saturday, Lethlaku was not in the squad against Orlando Pirates, but Cardoso insisted it’s because he can only select so many of his players for a matchday.
“The other day, I listened to some coach, I don’t know who it was, but he went to Mr. [Gianni] Infantino and asked him if we can put 20 players on the bench like in the [Club] World Cup, or bring all the squad,” he stated.
“You cannot ask me about Thapelo Maseko and make a drum out of that, and then ask me about Kutlwano [Lethlaku], and make a drum out of Kutlwano, because there’s someone that needs to stay out.
“I cannot bring [Siyabonga] Mabena. If not Mabena would not be on the bench you would be asking me about Mabena.
“So, it seems that there’s always a question, and I’m not taking it personal. I’m just [explaining], but even the people and the fans, they are always relating with what we didn’t do. It is impossible to… [play everyone].
“Kutlwano played on Wednesday in the first 11. Someone… Pitso played first 11 and today he is not on the bench. But it is not because they are not on the bench that we don’t trust them, or they are out of whatever for my thoughts or the team development process. No, no! It’s just because I have to take 18 and I have really to just take 18. I cannot take more.
“Otherwise, they would be all inside. And we don’t know. Because sometimes before the match, you even think, ‘Okay, I think this one and this one will be the ones that will be useful’.
“But believe me, sometimes we are on the match, and I think, ‘ah, if I had here that one, I would be probably putting him to play’ – even sometimes that can happen.
“Just we have a big respect for all the players on the squad, and we trust them all. There will be moments for all of them.
“But I cannot break the rules of the game. I can’t break the rules of the game.”
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