Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Sandile “AK-47” Ndlovu has cautioned head coach Miguel Cardoso against allowing supporter opinions to dictate his team selections.
Speaking to the media after the reigning PSL champions’ 1-1 draw with Orlando Pirates in a Betway Premiership clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday, Ndlovu suggested that fan pressure may be influencing Cardoso’s tactical decisions.
“I didn’t expect that result because I wanted Sundowns to win, but we couldn’t because of the tactics,” Ndlovu said. “Pirates managed to hold Sundowns even though their coach is still finding his best team. That doesn’t mean they’ve closed the gap, but Sundowns looked unsettled.”
Ndlovu believes that the Portuguese coach is struggling to coach freely due to ongoing criticism from supporters, some of whom had previously called for his dismissal.
“The only thing working against Sundowns at the moment is that our coach is shaky,” Ndlovu continued. “You must remember that not so long ago, the supporters wanted him gone. Because of that, you can imagine what can happen if he loses another match.”
He further claimed that Cardoso’s recent selections including the use of striker Peter Shalulile may reflect the influence of fans rather than the coach’s own judgment.
“Cardoso is now being controlled by supporters. His team selection is influenced by them, and that can create serious problems,” said Ndlovu. “He is no longer sticking to his instincts as a coach. He puts in players because the supporters want him to and in football, once you start succumbing to that kind of pressure, you will struggle.”
The former forward warned that coaches who allow external interference risk losing authority in the dressing room.
“You end up like these coaches who get a team list of who should play every match,” he said. “Some even get messages telling them who to start. But at Sundowns, they’ve never operated like that. The only issue now is the pressure from the supporters Cardoso is not doing things freely.”
Ndlovu’s comments come as Sundowns continue to juggle high expectations from fans while defending their league title under Cardoso’s leadership.
