Mamelodi Sundowns legend Roger Feutmba has raised concerns about the club potentially losing its footballing identity, according to his personal opinion.
Feutmba is urging the Brazilians to stick to their proven philosophy after a mixed start to the current season.
The former midfielder's comments come after Sundowns managed just two wins and two draws in the Betway Premiership so far, while suffering an MTN8 semi-final exit.
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Speaking to Soccer Laduma in an exclusive interview, Feutmba emphasized that the club should always hire coaches who understand and follow the established philosophy that has brought success over many years.
"I believe that sometimes those things happen in football so we just don't have to take things for granted. We have to make sure that we come together and set our things going forward. The technical team has to really look into it and the standard. We come from a strong identity. When it comes to our football philosophy, we have been using that philosophy for so long, and it has been working, so if even if you change something, you mustn’t destroy the base of what you have because you have a very strong base of philosophy, which is the best when it comes to football for me. We have to stick to that. You can add two or three elements to make it even stronger moving forward," Feutmba told Soccer Laduma.
The legendary midfielder was particularly critical of the team's performance in Wednesday night's goalless draw against Kaizer Chiefs, suggesting the opposition appeared more motivated.
"Talking about the game on Wednesday, it was a good game for football lovers to watch considering the fact that Chiefs also came to the party. They were ready and hungry, and they gave me the indication that they wanted it more than us in their body language and all of that. So, you must not rely on what we did before and believe that everything will just go on smoothly without coming to the party and fight. We must keep focus all the time to remain the team we are. And I can say there is no need to lose our identity. We have a very strong identity when it comes to football. So, we just have to make sure that we keep on working hard to make it much better," Feutmba observed.
Feutmba offered specific advice for coach Cardoso, emphasizing the importance of adapting to existing structures rather than implementing wholesale changes.
"The only advice is that he has to know that he came into a team where he found those players there, and those players were used to a certain philosophy. I believe that if you are a new coach coming into a team you have to look at the philosophy of the team you are coming to. And I don't believe that we are a bad team. No. We are playing very good football."
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Feutmba concluded with a pointed question about the club's current trajectory and identity.
"Personally, I believe that when you are coming to a team like Sundowns, look at the team how they are playing, and the only thing you can do is add one or two elements which can make what you found there much much better. They have to look into it seriously on how we react when we are facing challenges. How we play. Are we playing that kind of football again? The football we are used to? Are we losing our identity? We have to look into all those things, and I believe that the management brings a coach in they always try to bring in a coach who can fit into that philosophy which we have been using for decades now, so I think everyone in the team should come together and don't take things for granted," Feutmba concluded.
Feutmba's intervention adds another voice to growing concerns about Sundowns' direction, with the club legend's emphasis on preserving identity suggesting deeper issues beyond just results.
@soccer_laduma #MiguelCardoso, coach of #MamelodiSundowns, addresses the absence of key players for the clash against #KaizerChiefs
