Head coach Miguel Cardoso does not want to rush the return of the injured Ronwen Williams, nor of Teboho Mokoena, who has come back far from full fitness, ahead of Sunday’s CAF Super Cup.
At Mamelodi Sundowns, Sunday’s CAF Super Cup is approaching, but Miguel Cardoso was keen to set a limit. Asked about the condition of Ronwen Williams and Teboho Mokoena, the coach put the health of his players above any urgency to get a result, according to comments relayed by Dongqiudi and iDiski Times.
The two South Africa internationals are in contention to be fit in time for the fixture, though their involvement is not guaranteed. The staff prefer to move forward without forcing a timetable.
Williams, an injury with no serious concern
For Ronwen Williams, the South Africa international goalkeeper, the diagnosis is reassuring: his injury is not considered serious. The club is nevertheless taking its time, and the goalkeeper’s presence on Sunday is not guaranteed.
Mokoena, a complicated run of games
Teboho Mokoena’s case is different. The South Africa international midfielder has come back from national team duty far from full fitness, and suffered a fresh setback against Wiliete SC, Dongqiudi reports.
His recent history calls for caution: he had already played the MTN8 final despite initial concerns. Enough to push the staff to assess his condition case by case, rather than throwing him straight into the Super Cup.
“Protect our players”
Cardoso summed up his position in one sentence, quoted by Dongqiudi and iDiski Times: “We cannot risk the health of a player and this is our role here, it’s to protect our players and the health of the players”. Protecting players comes first, he believes, over rushing things.
The coach is applying that principle to both men, without announcing either a withdrawal or a starting place. The CAF Super Cup kicks off on Sunday at 15:00 at Loftus Versfeld, and nothing so far suggests that either of them will be left out of the match.