The coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, Miguel Cardoso, called on the South African football administration to raise standards to the level of Morocco, criticizing the poor condition of the Buffalo City stadium, which he compared to a wrestling arena rather than a football pitch.
Cardoso had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the postponement of the Sundowns versus Chippa United match in the Betway Premier League from Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to Monday due to the unavailability of the venue.
After Sundowns secured a late equalizer in the match, which ended 1-1, the Portuguese coach once again questioned the decision to play at Buffalo City, arguing that the conditions were unsuitable for top-division football.
He stated: 'People must truly think about the goal, intention, and direction they want to develop South African football in. There is a country in Africa that is completely detached from the rest of the continent, and that is Morocco. The conditions there are created so that players can compete at a very high level, and this is the direction football in South Africa should move.'
Cardoso continued his criticism, noting that there is an issue in policy that needs to be examined, as he knows such things are unacceptable in other countries. He emphasized: 'This is not a football pitch because it is so dirty that it is better suited for wrestling.'
The Sundowns coach added that the difficult conditions contributed to the physical nature of the confrontation, as the Chippa team fully exploited the characteristics of the field. He believes that the quality of infrastructure and surfaces should become part of a broader discussion about the future of South African football.
The comparison with Morocco was particularly sharp, as Cardoso highlighted North Africa's investments in creating conditions that allow athletes to demonstrate a higher level of skill. For the Sundowns coach, improving the quality of football cannot be separated from improving the environment in which it takes place.
