JALI’S DILEMMA
Where to next?
ANDILE Jali has a tough decision to make on his next move among South Africa’s big three – his old club Orlando Pirates‚ Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs.
Chiefs have apparently joined Pirates and Sundowns in making offers in the race for the Bafana Bafana midfielder’s signature‚ who ended his contract with KV Oostende in Belgium two weeks ago.
The midfielder is apparently conflicted about which club to choose.
The Daily Dispatch has been nformed that Sundowns and Pirates have made the strongest offers for the midfielder. Downs’ offer is financially better‚ but the midfielder’s heart apparently lies with Pirates. He left the club to join Belgium’s Oostende in January 2014 after five-anda-half seasons at the Buccaneers.
Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza is apparently trying to formulate a deal that can be attractive to Jali‚ even if it does not meet Sundowns’ offer monetarily.
Chiefs‚ it is believed‚ would have to come up with a financial offer comparative to Sundowns’ to lure Jali to Naturena.
Pirates’ administrative manager Floyd Mbele‚ however‚ denied the club had made any contact with Jali.
“I’m not even aware that Andile has met with the chairman‚” he said.
Asked if‚ even if there had not been a meeting between Khoza and Jali‚ he was aware of an offer being made‚ Mbele said: “If somebody says the chairman is trying to [sign the player]‚ the assumption is that they have met.
“And I can’t speak for the chairman‚ no. I wouldn’t know.”
Asked if he was aware that Pirates are trying to sign Jali‚ Mbele responded: “Not that I am aware of‚ no.” Sundowns’ media coordinator‚ Thulani Thuswa‚ said he could not comment on whether the club had made an offer for Jali.
Downs coach Pitso Mosimane last week said‚ on whether he would want to sign Jali: “We like him‚ he is a good player but to sign a player‚ it is more than that.
“The culture must be good‚ everything must gel. We made a lot of mistakes at Sundowns‚ signing Matthew Pattison and other people [coming back] from Europe. I am not saying they did not contribute but check the legacy of all the players who are coming in.
“It is not only us‚ look at other teams who sign people who come back from Europe. It is also important that you have to feel it.
“Is he the one‚ does he want to play for you‚ is he winding down the clock?”
Meanwhile, Ajax Cape Town and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) have tomorrow as their deadline to decide on an arbitrator in the eligibility saga swirling around Tendai Ndoro.
South African Football Association (Safa) legal officer Tebogo Motlanthe told the Daily Dispatch he would send a letter to the parties with three arbitrators to choose from.
If they did not meet the Friday deadline an arbitrator would be chosen by Safa CEO Dennis Mumble.
“The parties will get a letter to choose an arbitrator. One of the arbitrators I had dropped out because of other commitments. So I need to get one [as a replacement] and sent the letter today‚” said Motlanthe.
Motlanthe said he hoped for a hearing to be held “early next week”.
He said he was aware of the pressing need to resolve the ongoing Ndoro saga as the Absa Premiership season ends on Saturday.
The case could have an impact on whether Ajax‚ who are currently in the second-last promotion-relegation position in the PSL‚ with a match to go‚ go to the playoffs or even are relegated outright‚ if they have points deducted due to the Ndoro saga.
A Fifa ruling states that a player may not turn out for more than two clubs in a season.
Zimbabwean striker Ndoro played a game for Orlando Pirates in August‚ signed and played for Al Faisaly in Saudi Arabia‚ then joined Ajax in late December and played seven PSL games for them.
He was cleared as eligible for Ajax by the PSL’s dispute resolution chamber (DRC) on January 31.
The PSL appealed that decision at a Safa arbitration‚ which referred the matter to Fifa’s Players’ Status Committee‚ which in turn directed it back to Safa.
Ajax‚ should the case go against them‚ stand to lose as many as the full 10 points gained from the matches where they fielded Ndoro. They might also just lose the three points from before the DRC decision clearing the player.
The Urban Warriors‚ who meet Kaizer Chiefs in their final PSL game at Cape Town Stadium‚ are currently on 31 points‚ 10 above last-placed‚ Platinum Stars (21), who have already been relegated..
Twelfth-placed Baroka FC (34 points)‚ 13th-positioned Polokwane City and 14th-placed SuperSport United (both on 33 points) can still drop below Ajax into the playoffs‚ with or without points deducted to the Cape side.