Promotion-fighting Jomo ‘gifts’ duo to Chippa

JOMO Cosmos owner Jomo Sono made a very strange decision when he decided to sell two of his best players – Linda Mntambo and Mxolisi Macupu – to Chippa United while his team are in contention for promotion to the PSL. Cosmos are currently second on the NFD log with 28 points after 16 league outings, five points behind Highlands Park. Sono explained that he couldn’t keep players whose minds are elsewhere, after Cosmos lost 1-0 to Real Kings this past weekend at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont.

“In June they will be free. It is the same things that happened to Morgan Gould, it was the same thing with Anthony Laffor and it was similar situation with Yeye (Reneilwe Letsholonyane) who were all at Cosmos but left to join bigger clubs.

“What must I do? They are free in June and they said they want to go now. Must I do what I did to Anthony Laffor? Bench him for six months. What do you benefit? Nothing. So you ask these guys, do you want to leave? and they said yes. We took the money and released them,” Sono said.

Mntambo went on to score a brace on debut for Chippa United as they defeated AmaZulu in a PSL clash in Durban on Sunday. Macupu contributed with an assist for the second goal.

“If you keep them then you will be in trouble. When we lost to Maritzburg United when we got relegated two seasons ago, five of our players took us down because they had pre-contracts,” Sono said. “Once a player signs the pre contract he is like a man who will say ‘I’m married to you but in six months time I will be married to another woman’.

“So how does she stay with you? Release her early then. You will keep him and he will cost you. He will always cost you.

“Our hands were tied. The only bad part of it was that you must expect this from players..

“I don’t understand, because we are number two on the log. In four months time we could be in the Premier League. So why don’t you stay four months and gain promotion? Money played a huge role. Chippa offered them a lot of money. He offered them the money I couldn’t offer, and we released them,” Sono explained.

Chippa United coach Tebogo Moloi thanked Sono for giving him two of his best players.

“I’ve known that man since I was five years old. When he told me that he was going to give me two of his best players it says a lot because he is about to gain promotion. For him to lose these two players it tells you how much that man loves me.

“When I was 14 I was training with him. Myself and the late Thomas Madigage used to train with him, and today the development of these two players has not come to a finish.

“He feels that I can take over these boys. That tells you how much he rates me.

“We are still going to see the best of these two boys. The man stills has an eye for talent in the township. We will see a lot from the two,” Moloi said.