South African football outfit Mamelodi Sundowns has sack its head coach Manqoba Mnqithi and replace him with a Portuguese mentor Miguel De Azevedo Cardoso today.
The sacking of Manqoba Mnqithi was announced during a press conference which was held at the headquarters of Mamelodi Sundowns in Chloorkop,Pretoria.
The media briefing was hosted by Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe and sporting director Flemming Berg,and both expressed their reasons that led to sacking of Manqoba.
During the press conference,the management of Mamelodi Sundowns has confirmed that is parting ways with Wendel Robinson and Roman Folz which were part of Mnqithi's technical team.
The club did not fire Steve Komphela and Kennedy Mweene and will continue to work in a new technical team of Cardoso.
Before joining Mamelodi Sundowns,Cardoso was coaching Tunisian club Esperance de Tunis which knocked out his new club in the CAF Champions League semifinals under his guidance.
Last season,he led his former club Esperance de Tunis to the CAF Champions League final where he lost against Egyptian giants Al Ahly and that club qualified for FIFA Club World Cup which will be played next year.
Why Manqoba Mnqithi was fired?
Mamelodi Sundowns decided to dismiss Manqoba Mnqithi as head coach because of poor strings of results since he took over on July 2024 after an exit of Rhulani Mokwena as head coach.
From July,Mamelodi Sundowns played 22 games under the leadership of Manqoba and few of those games contributed to his downfall because he lost crucial games which were meant to be won.
Few weeks ago,Mamelodi Sundowns was humiliated in a Carling Black Label Cup final when lost against Magesi FC 1-2 despite leading before half-time.
Under his watch,Sundowns has failed to win two of its matches in their recent CAF Champions League campaign because so far drew two games in row and that was like an insult to the management of the club.