Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says the technical team has had so little time to train that their tactical plan for Orlando Pirates was only 20 minutes.
The Portuguese mentor made this remark moments following his side’s 4-1 drubbing of their Soweto counterparts in a pulsating Betway Premiership clash at Loftus Stadium on Saturday.
With their busy schedule, Cardoso insists the squad hardly ever has time for a full analysis of matches on their program.
Cardoso explains how they dismantled Pirates to open up a nine-point gap at the top of the table.
“I will continue to tell that we didn’t have a lot of time to train. So basically, at the moment we have around 30 training sessions and from those many of them are recovery training sessions for the players that play more regularly,” Cardoso said.
“Tomorrow or the day after the match is the day that we work a lot with the players that don’t play so much on team building, that’s how we try to get all on the same level.
“The development of this team has come from the investment that players have done on understanding the ideas, how they look at the videos then we analyse the things and how we prepare the game.
“Look, this game with Pirates was prepared in 20 minutes, we had 20 minutes in the pitch where we didn’t run, we just positioned the players well. When the ball is from there to here and then when we win in different moments what we do and then video analysis and then team meetings, that’s how we prepared because there’s no time to train.”
Grant Kekana opened the scoring in the top-of-the-table Betway Premiership clash on 13 minutes. Lucas Costa added a second with 27 minutes on the clock. Deon Hotto pulled a goal back for Pirates with 57 minutes played, but Costa restored the Brazilians’ advantage just two minutes later, as Teboho Mokoena sealed the result with his goal with 12 minutes of the match remaining.
The result saw Sundowns end the afternoon nine points clear of second-placed Bucs at the top of the standings, although having played a game more. Nevertheless, the former Esperance tactician is adamant the title race is far from over.
“We try to influence each other to follow the plan as much as possible and we can progress. This is what we need to continue to do because from now on our worry is on Tuesday. We have a big responsibility on Tuesday’s match as you can imagine because after we win Pirates, the responsibility increases,” the coach added.
“We made a wonderful number of points after the first half of the Championship but there’s the second half to play. I told you before and I keep saying, the Championship is far from being finished, very far away but now each match we play, we can close it more and more and more but there’s a lot to go, a lot to go.
“So, we just got a small advantage that we should respect and to respect that advantage is to give our best.”
It’s a swift turnaround for Cardoso & Co as they have a midweek Betway Premiership clash with TS Galaxy to contend with. Kick off at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit is set for 19:30 on Tuesday, 11 February 2025.