Mamelodi Sundowns players will be given a four-week break to recharge the batteries after a successful domestic season where they completed a treble and clean sweep of trophies.

Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi suggested this would lead to a four-week preseason training period rather than the six-week norm, but added that the shorter period can have advantages.

The Brazilians completely dominated locally by winning the season-opening MTN8, the DStv Premiership with four matches to spare and the Nedbank Cup with their 2-1 final win against Marumo Gallants at the weekend.

But they disappointed in the Caf Champions League where they were dumped out of the competition by less fancied Angolan side Petro Atlético at the quarterfinal stage.

“I can’t give the exact details at this state but all I know is that we will give the team a four-week break and possibly come back for another four weeks [of preseason] because the season is going to be very long,” Mngqithi said.

“We are one team that plays more matches than anyone else in the league and within that four weeks we will have it structured to give us a chance to have our medics and train locally during the first cycle of the preseason.

“We’ll probably go to camp locally for the second cycle and if Covid-19 and all these other issues that make life difficult subside, maybe we can consider that during the third cycle we should be away maybe for friendlies even if it is just one week and we return to finish our programme.”

Mngqithi said the reason Sundowns may break their preseason into two, will be to ensure players don’t peak too early and to avoid boredom.

“Our experience over the years has always given us a chance to look at this thing slightly differently based on our competition. We always divide whatever break we have into two, give the players half and take the other half later, because we always know it is going to be gruelling.

“If you cut the break of the players and have a longer preparation phase it has a chance to create problems and maybe boredom even before the season starts.

“It is important to try and make the preparation phase intense and interesting. You will say we [often] don’t start the season very well and we probably understand that part well.

“As long as we can win in the process of entering the first five matches of the season, knowing that after those five matches our team is in a good shape.

“It is better than being in good shape before the season starts, and then suddenly when you start players start to crumble because they are bored due to the fact that they have been training hard and are no longer interested.

“We are looking at it like that because of the challenges that we have and the number of matches we play. Normally teams will predominantly go for a six-week preparation phase and only give the players two weeks [off].

“You cannot blame them but it has happened that many teams don’t even want to break, and will be number one in the league [at the start] but after December they see the hazards.”