Following Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso’s admission that game
time for defender Fawaaz Basadien is limited, the player’s former mentor,
Dylan Kerr, has shed light on how he expects the left-back to handle the
challenging situation.
Basadien, a marquee signing at the start of the season, has managed just
seven appearances across all competitions. His prospects look increasingly
slim after he was left out of the squad for a recent CAF Champions League
match where Sundowns held a commanding lead.
Cardoso painted a bleak picture, stating in a post-match press conference,
“The opportunities for the player to show himself are not very big.”
Kerr, who first converted Basadien from a midfielder to a left-back during
their time at Moroka Swallows, reflected on the player’s journey. “I took a
risk by playing him at left-back… and he has gone on from strength to
strength,” Kerr told PSLSA. “And now he is finding it very difficult (at
Sundowns). The club that he thought would take him forward, he is not
playing consistently.”
Despite the frustration, Kerr believes Basadien will handle the situation
professionally. “He’s a good professional; he will not cause problems. He
will still go to training, he will still work hard, and he will bide his
time,” Kerr asserted.
The former coach also highlighted the difficult choice players face: chasing
success and financial security at a big club versus the risk of limited
playing time. Kerr pointed out that a lack of minutes at Sundowns could
impact Basadien’s standing with the national team.
“When you go to a big club, there is a risk… and the last thing you wanna
do as a professional footballer is not playing,” Kerr said. “To be in the
national team, you have to play.”
However, Kerr expressed confidence in his former player, concluding, “When
he gets his opportunity, he has to play well, and knowing Fawaaz, I think he
will do.”
