In an effort to produce more quality footballers that transition to the senior team, Mamelodi Sundowns have made interesting changes and restructured their development academy.
The defending champions appointed Portuguese coach Paulo Cardoso – who joins Sundowns from Fluminense FC in Brazil where he served as a youth consultant – to head its development academy.
His appointment last week will see more youngsters and teenagers playing in the Diski team. The Diski team players are now training at Chloorkop and will receive the necessary support as the most-important transition team between the academy and the first team.
According to the Sundowns website, with an average of 19-year-olds from the previous average of 21, The Diski team, which played its first match in the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) on Saturday against defending champions, SuperSport, is coached by Sinethemba Badela.
Badela, is assisted by Michael Manzini who was the coach of the under-19 and won the Engen Knockout Challenge. In the finals of the tournament, Sundowns was coached by Phuphu Mohlaba, who joins the Diski team as an assist coach, bringing experience of coaching the youth and analysis. Tshepo Makgata, remains as the goalkeeper coach of the team.
Tasked with producing the next crop of talent from the under-19 team to Diski team, coach Surprise Moriri will play a key role in managing and monitoring players from the under-19 that can be promoted to the Diski team.
Coach David Notoane is now the head of transition and will oversee the transition of players in the different academy structures, including Diski and under-19.
His role includes recommending and monitoring pipeline players between the different structures.
In an effort to not only produce talented players, the team will also ensure that the players get the necessary support for their schooling and tutoring needs. Notoane, with the help of everyone, will connect the different departments including nutrition and physical training of the players.
The Sundowns academy enters an exciting period and the elite team, Diski, has recruited a new team that is in an integration phase.
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