Cardoso breaks silence on Saleng, reveals why he was dropped
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has finally broken his silence on Monnapule Saleng’s situation, revealing the shocking reason why the winger is no longer training with the club’s first team.
Saleng, who joined Sundowns during the January transfer window last season, now faces an uncertain future after Cardoso confirmed the player had repeatedly broken the club’s rules and values.
Speaking after Sundowns’ thrilling 3-2 MTN8 victory over Polokwane City on Saturday night, the Portuguese coach said the decision to separate Saleng from the first team followed several incidents. “Regarding Saleng, the situation is unfortunately different. Saleng consecutively broke the rules and values of the locker room and of the club, and for some time already he is not training with the team,” Cardoso told reporters.
He explained that Saleng failed to report after being selected for Sundowns’ second CAF Champions League match and also refused to attend the club’s training camp. “We gave him a lot of love and opportunities despite repeated mistakes. But if a player is not willing to follow the standards required at a club like Sundowns, the club has to act. That is why he has been separated from the team and is currently not working with us,” Cardoso said.
The revelation has raised fresh questions over Saleng’s future, with it now appearing increasingly likely that his time at Sundowns could soon come to an end.