Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has set the record straight on Sphelele Mkhulise following reports linking him with a move to North Africa.
Mkhulise started for Sundowns against Golden Arrows at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday evening, just a few days after he was reported to be heading to Algeria for a move. According to Cardoso, the 28-year-old remains a key member of the squad at Sundowns and there has been no plans to let him go.
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"By the way, I can make it clear, there's no issues regarding Pitso (Mkhulise) or whatever transfer on him. Pitso is a player from the club, we like him so much. We trust him and he has been playing in the team," Cardoso told media after Sundowns hammered Arrows 4-0.
Cardoso made it clear that he took Mkhulise off for tactical reasons. He saw an opportunity to play with two strikers upfront, as he brought on Peter Shalulile for Mkhulise. The change, according to Cardoso, had nothing to do with Mkhulise's performance.
"Any moment a player goes out, it does not mean that he is bad on the match. It's a tactical approach and the values of the team should be much stronger than individual values. That's how I approach things.
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"Obviously at half-time I told Pitso 'you came out not because you were playing bad, but we need to approach the game in a different way'. If I knew that the approach from the opponent would be different to the one that was set on the pitch, (then) probably I would have started the game in a different way."
Sundowns are back in action on Wednesday when they take on Tshwane rivals SuperSport United at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
