By the time Miguel Cardoso walks into FNB Stadium to play his first away league match against Kaizer Chiefs, he will be accompanied by anxiety.
Beyond there being a huge crowd expected to surpass 50 000 inside the giant stadium for Wednesday evening’s game (19:30) between Mamelodi Sundowns and the hosts, Cardoso will not be lesser comfortable than he has ever been in the job.
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There have suddenly been warnings that a change of waves similar to what happened at Esperance are building up after he failed to negotiate his way past the Orlando Pirates hurdle in the MTN semi-finals.
The trip to the south of Johannesburg, where an expectant Chiefs will be waiting, could not have come at a worse time for the Portuguese gaffer.
Only time will tell if there will be further upheaval in the stands depending on the result on Wednesday.
Based on what happened after the penalty shootout defeat on Saturday, how will the Yellow Nation react if they surrender all three points to Amakhosi while not getting satisfaction in Cardoso’s approach, which has been labelled as conservative by some?
This will be Cardoso’s 45th game in charge with 28 wins in the bag already since he took over in December.
The gloss has been that his stay came with the club’s first ever appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup after adding the club’s eighth consecutive domestic league title.
Reaching the CAF Champions League final might have been commendable, but being runners-up will not be remembered as an achievement.
Cardoso has since failed in the two cup competitions that he has overseen – the 2025 Nedbank Cup and 2025 MTN8.
Further concerns for the 53-year-old emanate from the fact that whenever he has been involved with a club prior to the start of a new season, it hasn’t come to a good ending in three of the last five jobs he has held.
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He lasted four months into the new season at French club FC Nantes, then four games in a fresh campaign at AEK Athens, and then lasted until October at Esperance after completing pre-season in July.
The end of his time in Esperance came with labels of being an ultra-defensive coach.
Photo: Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images
