'Cardoso beaten by poor planning, not calendar'

Mamelodi Sundowns legend Joel ‘Fire’ Masilela came down hard on the club's head coach, Miguel Cardoso, and criticised him for being a "sore loser".

Cardoso blames his team's struggles on congested fixtures, saying they played a significant role in preventing Sundowns from defending their league title.

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Sundowns are currently at the top of the Betway Premiership table, leading by three points, but Orlando Pirates, in second place, only need three points from their remaining two matches to be crowned the PSL champions this year.

During a post-match interview after their 2-3 loss to league strugglers TS Galaxy FC at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday, Cardoso stated he lost the league title to the calendar, not to Orlando Pirates.

"This is what happens when you don't have proper planning. If you fail you make excuses," Masilela tells KickOff.

"I didn't like Cardoso's comment yesterday as a professional coach. As a head coach, take responsibility when your team loses, just as you deserve credit when things go well.

"You can't say you have been beaten by the calendar; you lost on the pitch. He should have planned properly. You have a large squad with depth and quality, but you are unable to utilise them to your advantage.

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"He lost the league title because his focus is on the Champions League. Remember, Champions League is his mandate this season.

"He lost the league a long time ago, not just yesterday against TS Galaxy," added the ex-winger.