Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says they have seen the need to reduce their squad and are intentional about making sure this happens.
Sundowns has always had big squads and criticized for it however it was rationalised by the number of competitions they are involved in. Meanwhile, the side has so far released at least eight players, and it looks likely there will be more exits with some of their key players linked with moves away from the club.
Cardoso says his experience from last season and other factors like having unmotivated players because they are not used and giving those that stay a fair chance at playing regularly have influenced the decision to downsize.
“And it’s not only my opinion on reducing the squad, it’s our opinion inside the club,” said the Portuguese mentor.
“How we are going to do it, or which numbers that we’ll see in the end has to do with different aspects. We should also understand that in South Africa, the squad will never be the same squad that we have, for example, in Europe, in Portugal.
“In Portugal, usually 22 plus three-four goalkeepers and that’s a squad. Then you have the second team, where you can pick players, if you need but we don’t play three days. We don’t play four days, and we don’t play three four days in almost all season, like now we have the national team breaks, but in between national team breaks every week in the middle of the week.
“So, for sure, the squads here are bigger and that’s a reality that also myself understood from competing in South Africa.
“So, the deal is, for sure, smaller than last year but will also not be so small, like we have, for example, in Portugal. So also, I adapted myself, but we need to have enough level of competition so that in case we have an injury or a player that is in a moment where he’s not so strong, or in case we have a suspension or to manage players from match to match we have to have numbers to make that.
“But at the same time, we cannot have players that permanently are not used, and they drop the motivation, and they are on the side. That is the spirit that we don’t want inside the club.
“So, we want the players to feel that they are there, and they have a chance to play regularly. So that’s a little bit of that mind-set that is behind the decision to try to reduce a little bit the squad.
“Anyway, let’s see where it will end in terms of numbers.”
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