Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has insisted Thapelo Maseko will remain at the club despite his recent public statement on his mental state.
Maseko, 21, recently took to Instagram to express how he “felt unseen” and his passion for the game has been “chipping away”.
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Maseko came off the bench for a second game in a row, but wasn’t able to impact the match much, as Sundowns slipped out of the MTN8 at the semi-final stage for a second successive season.
“Of course, he will be here after the window closes. Why should he not be here,” Cardoso said after the match when asked about Maseko.
“He’s a Mamelodi Sundowns player, he’s part of the squad. And as I see in the club, I don’t see any intention from no one to let him go.
“He’s working good, of course, when you don’t have a Lucas Ribeiro playing on the right where he can play, it gives more chances to the players that can play in those positions, and it’s obvious he’s trying to fight for a space.
“Obviously, I want my players motivated, and if I give them chances, is also to keep them motivated and to understand they are part of the core of the team.
“There’s no one on the group that we don’t count, and everything that happens inside the club will always have to deal with interests of the player, and interests of the club.
“I think it’s clear on the statement from the club is regarding players going out or coming in. It’s a moment for stability and not for instability, because we are building, building from the past. We lost important players, not many, but very important, because the consequences that they have, the impact that they have on the game was enormous, tremendous.
“And we are trying to rebuild out of there, find the connections between the players that we have to reorganize regarding what the absence of them. I think you saw Zuko quite comfortable again making a good game.
“Morena is coming, and in the front we are trying to give opportunities to player. And on Wednesday, played Kutluano [Lethlaku], now entered Maseko, because we need also to manage the fatigue and the moment of the case, so that everyone is motivated but part of the group.”
Sundowns now turn their attention to facing Kaizer Chiefs in the Betway Premiership on Wednesday.
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