Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says they had to release Thembinkosi Lorch due to his unhappiness which stemmed from a lack of playing opportunities.
The high expectations surrounding Thembinkosi Lorch's January transfer to Mamelodi Sundowns last year were not to be fulfilled.
Despite being touted as the ideal player to alleviate pressure on captain Themba Zwane, Lorch's tenure at the club was marked by limited first-team opportunities, culminating in his recent transfer to Wydad Casablanca.
This move sees him reunited with Rulani Mokwena, under whom he has now played on three separate occasions, including at Orlando Pirates.
CARDOSO ON WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT TO RELEASE LORCH
“Lorch, as you can imagine, he was not happy here, and it’s important that players are happy, we cannot sustain players that are not in the context of the environment where they feel they can perform,” Cardoso said.
“Sometimes it’s important to give them the air they need to breathe, so they can express and also have the game-time they need to play – Lorch is not a young player. In the last [few years], he’s not played that much, it was important to let him go [to play football].”
About other players who left, he said: “I called him after the decision was finalised, all the players, Lesiba Nku, Lebo [Maboe], I spoke with all of them and completely in peace regarding all options we did, everybody is happy and that’s the most important thing, that everyone is happy,” he explained.
“We work with men that are not only football players, but they also have families, they have kids, and for example, with Lesiba I said ‘Hey, it’s time for you to go. You can’t go home to a family that’s not happy. Not your kids saying papa, did you play, what’s happening?’
“No people need to have lives and I’m happy things worked out in the right way.
“So that they can follow their path and have a place where they can be happy, everyone is a human being and we should respect that, it’s what we do here at Sundowns.”
