‘He can see football’ – Flemming Berg’s former colleague hails Sundowns sporting director

MAMELODI Sundowns sporting director Flemming Berg has a “clever football brain” and is “strong on development”, according to former colleague Jess Thorup.

Berg has come under heavy criticism in recent months amid reports that he played a key role in the sacking of coach Rulani Mokwena early this month.

The duo reportedly didn’t see eye-to-eye on the direction the club was taking, including transfers, playing philosophy and the achievements of last season.

Sundowns finished the season with only the Premiership and African Football League trophies in their cabinet, missing out on the Champions League, MTN8 and Nedbank cups.

While they missed out on the MTN8 and Nedbank crowns by a whisker, losing both trophies to Orlando Pirates in the final, they reached the Champions League semi-finals.

This was the Brazilians’ second consecutive semi-final finish in Africa’s premier club competition, and was apparently deemed not good enough by Berg and Co.

The board apparently bemoaned the fact that they had invested a lot in the team, including signing players Mokwena wanted, such as Thembinkosi Lorch, in January.

Berg has been criticised for running the club like a personal fiefdom, but Bundesliga side FC Augsburg coach Thorup, who worked with Berg at the Danish Football Association, rates his countryman highly.

“I know Flemming well. I worked with him at the time I was the Under-21 coach (of the Danish national team). He worked in the federation at that time,” Dane Thorup reflected.

“We had a very close connection. He’s not only a great guy or person, but he’s very clever in football. He can see football.

“He’s strong on developing clubs and players. I think it’s a great opportunity for South Africa to have a guy like this after joining the club here. As far as I can see, he has been doing a great job!”

There are few Sundowns supporters who believe Berg has been doing a “great job” since the departure of Mokwena, who’s now the coach of Wydad Casablanca.

In the new era, Downs have reappointed Steve Komphela as the senior coach to help Manqoba Mngqithi, while Romain Folz has been roped in as an assistant coach.

“I won’t say that I have been following him a lot, but I have followed him,” said Thorup on whether he’s been following Berg, who has been hogging the headlines in recent weeks.

“I think every day it’s exciting to follow players and coaches who are all over the world, and Flemming is one of them.

“I think it’s great to see when the guys are taking a chance to go to the other side of the world and do something differently. So I think Flemming is doing a great job.

“Congratulations to him for the position that they (Sundowns) achieved last season for them to be able to compete in another competition (Fifa Club World Cup).”

Thorup and Augsburg are in Mpumalanga this week on tour as they are involved in the inaugural Mpumalanga Premier’s International Cup.

They faced Tanzanian giants Young Africans in their first game at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.