Former Sundowns striker calls for Cardoso sacking

'Sometimes coaches say how we play doesn't matter as long as we win but at Sundowns it matters,' he said. Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Ishmael Maluleke has called for Miguel Cardoso to be sacked following the club’s 3-1 defeat to USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup last Sunday. Sundowns’ shock elimination The latest setback comes after Sundowns suffered a shock elimination from the CAF Champions League in the second preliminary round last month. By all accounts, the Portuguese coach continues to enjoy the backing of the club’s hierarchy after signing a new contract before the start of the season. His biggest saving grace is that he guided Sundowns to the CAF Champions League title last season, ending the club’s 10-year wait for another continental crown. Speaking on Radio 2000, Maluleke did not hold back when asked whether Cardoso deserves more time to turn things around. “Sometimes coaches say how we play doesn’t matter as long as we win but at Sundowns it matters,” he said. “Whether Sundowns (management) see it through the fact that they must give him enough time to rescue what has happened “But what is there to rescue? For me I think Sundowns doesn’t have a man that can lead at the moment, and they need to get someone else.” Despite winning the CAF Champions League last season and the MTN8 in the current campaign, Cardoso has come under scrutiny from some Sundowns supporters over the team’s style of play. Maluleke, who also represented the likes of Manning Rangers, AmaZulu and Jomo Cosmos during his distinguished playing career, believes Sundowns have struggled to stick to their playing style under Cardoso. ‘I’m not surprised’ “I’m not surprised because this has been forthcoming. I mean Sundowns has been going through a slump for a long time and we have been saying that but unfortunately because sometimes when you get results, people will assume that you’re doing well,” he said. “However, some of us who have played football and followed Sundowns from the time when Pitso Mosimane was the head coach to when Rulani Mokoena was the head coach, we recognised very well that Sundowns in the long run, will go through a tough time and it is happening at the moment and it was just a matter of time.” Maluleke is a former PSL Top Goalscorer Award winner, having netted 18 goals for Manning Rangers during the 2001/02 season.