Cardoso hits out at Chippa venue change as ‘disruptive’ to intercontinental preps - TimesLIVE
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has come out guns blazing to berate the Chippa United venue change as disruptive to their Fifa Intercontinental Cup preparations.
Sundowns were initially scheduled to visit United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday, but the match has been moved to Buffalo City Stadium in kuGompo City (5.30pm).
Speaking after their 3-0 victory over struggling Siwelele FC on Wednesday, Cardoso said the venue change is going to have a negative impact on their preparations for the intercontinental match against Saudi Arabian giants Al Ahli on September 19 at Loftus.
After the match, we’re going to stay at the hotel looking at each other in the face, maybe we will take a walk on the beach. Because of this, we cannot travel back, and we don’t have the right conditions to prepare for the match [against Al Ahli
“I just want you to understand that the change of venue completely disrupts our preparation for the Intercontinental Cup,” he said.
“The match venue was changed, and we cannot travel on the same day back to Johannesburg or in the morning the following day because we only have a flight at 5pm on Sunday.
“After the match, we are going to stay at the hotel in East London looking at each other in the face, maybe we will take a walk on the beach. Because of this, we cannot travel back and we don’t have the right conditions to prepare for the match [against Al Ahli].
“I had planned to give my players two days off to be with their families before we start preparations for the match. They are expecting to spend Sunday with their families, but they will be in East London until 5pm.”
Miguel Cardoso slams the Chippa United venue change as disruptive to their Intercontinental preparations. pic.twitter.com/6Lx6AdSwYF
This situation is also a headache from a technical point of view.
“Players who are not going to play against Chippa will not have a chance for a top-up training session, and those are the conditions that we are faced with. It is not like this anywhere.
“At the beginning of the season, each team nominates their home venue, and you don’t change according to your interests. You don’t play one team on this pitch, and you take another team somewhere else.
“When these things happen, you allow people to be suspicious. In Portugal, Porto, Benfica and Sporting play at one stadium, and those stadiums are always ready whether there are thunderstorms or something else because people take care of those stadiums.
“If we don’t move in that direction, suspicions will always be there.”
