Under his leadership, Sundowns have lost three domestic cup finals, in addition to last Sunday’s Champions League decider.
If there was ever a time for Mamelodi Sundowns sporting director Flemming Berg to speak, it is now. It cannot be business as usual after the fiasco of the two-legged CAF Champions League final defeat to Pyramids FC.
Since the Dane arrived at Chloorkop in 2022, he has deliberately stayed away from the media. Aside from a few brief press conference appearances and in-house interviews, Berg has never meaningfully engaged the public on his football philosophy or his mandate at the Brazilians.
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I have previously raised this issue, insisting that the Masandawana faithful deserve better. They deserve to know the direction in which he is taking the club. From what I understand, he makes no secret of the fact that he doesn’t care what the outside public thinks of him.
Problematic attitude
That kind of attitude is not only problematic, it also deepens the disconnect between the club and its sporting director. Engaging the fans through various media platforms would go a long way in calming the storm that followed their 2024/25 Champions League final shock defeat.
Fans are understanding and they will support him if they feel that he is genuinely listening, rather than speaking at them through short press clippings. In his first three full seasons in charge after being officially announced as the sporting director in April 2022, Berg has delivered three Premiership titles.
He may also claim the African Football League triumph, but what the fans truly crave is the CAF Champions League. Under his leadership, Sundowns have lost three domestic cup finals, in addition to last Sunday’s champions league decider. On that basis alone, his tenure has been somewhat underwhelming.
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Berg now finds himself alienating a growing number of Sundowns supporters with some of his decisions. The outrage over the champions league defeat has been simmering beneath the surface for some time. The first major frustration was the decision to part ways with Rulani Mokwena, who came close to completing an unbeaten season.
Berg may not have absolute power to make changes, but he is a central figure in football decisions at the Betway Premiership champions. It’s clear that Mokwena’s main shortcoming was his failure to deliver Africa’s most prestigious club competition.
If that is the yardstick by which success is measured, then surely the current situation can’t be allowed to continue following the loss to Pyramids FC. Berg now faces a significant decision, and so does the club because this is a problem of their own making.
Sundowns at the World Club Cup
While I don’t expect much from Sundowns at the FIFA Club World Cup, a poor showing will not only push supporters over the edge, but also intensify the scrutiny of Berg’s time in South Africa. I have already shared my views on the ill-advised omission of club captain Themba Zwane, so I won’t revisit that here.
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But in the absence of proper public discourse, it is clear that major changes are needed. The root cause of the growing discontent among the club’s loyal fan base appears to point in one direction: the office of the sporting director.
