Cardoso: I’m Just A Good Man Seeking A Legacy

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says he believes he has been misunderstood in South Africa, insisting that despite differing opinions about him, he is simply a good man.

Cardoso added that he wants to leave a strong legacy when he eventually departs the club, as some of the pressure he had been carrying in recent weeks has eased.

The former Espérance Sportive de Tunis coach has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks following unconvincing performances, particularly in the CAF Champions League, where Sundowns scraped into the knockout stages.

On Tuesday, Marcelo Allende rescued Sundowns with a late winner in a 1-0 victory over AmaZulu in a Betway Premiership clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. The result lifted Sundowns to the top of the table.

They moved to 38 points after 17 matches, edging ahead of Orlando Pirates on goal difference, with Pirates dropping to second despite being level on points.

Cardoso’s side had to work tirelessly in Durban to secure all three points, as Usuthu’s defence stood firm for much of the match, but Sundowns’ quality eventually proved decisive.

“I’m very strong, and I think we all need to be, because we all face misfortune in life,” said Cardoso when asked whether he is related to Rute Cardoso, the wife of the late Liverpool striker Diogo Jota.

“I can make it public — it’s not a problem. On Monday, I woke up at 6am and asked my players for forgiveness because I had shown them a video late at night, with my comments.

“The video was about last words. I don’t know if you saw the series The Good Doctor. There is an American actor who passed away on 19 February after a long-term illness, and he left his final words to his daughters. I shared that with the boys so they could understand my message — that we must be fully committed to the present, to the pleasure of waking up together and fighting for something that makes our families proud.

“We have to leave a legacy because what we will leave is not money, we have to leave a legacy. In 50 years, few people will remember us, and in 100 years, no one will.

“Why do we worry about things that are not truly important? We speak a lot about life within our group — a lot. I don’t want my players to remember me only as a coach who helped them achieve things. I want them to understand that I was a very good man.

“South Africa still doesn’t understand that Miguel is indeed a good man who wants to give his best, not to be associated with negative things, but to live as a simple man. I have told you that I love being here.”