Izinhlelo ezintsha kweyeCAF zimshayisa uvalo uMngqithi
AKAKUNGABAZI ukuthi azothwala kanzima amaqembu aseNingizimu Afrika azoyibamba kwiCAF Champions League nakwiCAF Confederation Cup, uManqoba “TV” Mngqithi, oyiphini lomqeqeshi kwiMamelodi Sundowns, njengoba sekushintshwe isikhathi sokuqala kwalo mqhudelwano. Eminyakeni edlule imiqhudelwano engaphansi kweConfederations of African Football (Caf) ibiqala ngoFebhuwari igoqwe ngoNovemba. Nokho ngemuva kwezinguquko zakamuva ezenzeke sekungene umengameli omusha kwiCAF, u-Ahmad Ahmad, le miqhudelwano isizoqala ngoDisemba isongwe ngoMeyi. Ngesikhathi kuphuma lesi simemezelo sashayelwa elikhulu ihlombe kuleli kwazise sasizohambisana nesizini ye-Absa Premiership.
UMngqithi, oyiphini lomqeqeshi kwiMamelodi Sundowns enqobe isicoco seCAF Champions League ngo-2016, uthe kusheshe kwajatshulwa kuleli njengoba ethi kuzoba lukhuni satshe ukuthi amaqembu azinikele ngokuphelele kulo mqhudelwano ngenxa yemiqhudelwano engaphansi kwe-Absa Premiership ezoqondana neyeCAF.
“Ngibona kuzoba nzima kakhulu ukuthi amaqembu aseNingizimu Afrika enze kahle kule sizini emiqhudelwaneni engaphansi kweCAF. Lokhu ngikusho ngoba kunzima ukuhambela amazwe aseAfrika njengoba amabhanoyi engahambi aqonde ngqo ezweni kepha ejikeleza kwamanye amazwe lokho okugcina kuthathe isikhathi eside. Akufani naseEurope njengoba khona uma uhamba isikhathi eside kuba ngamahora amahlanu. Kungakho sibona ne-Uefa Champions League iqhubeka kahle ngaphandle kwezihibe,” kusho uMgqithi.
Lo mqeqeshi uphinde waveza ukuthi ukuthatha uhambo lwase-Afrika kumba eqolo futhi kuthatha amahora amaningi ukuya kwamanye amazwe, ikakhulukazi asenhla ne-Afrika.
“Ake ngenze isibonelo ngokusuka lapha uye eGuinea. Awukwazi ukusuka lapha eNingizimu Afrika uye kuleliya zwe uqonde ngqo. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi uthathe indiza eyisipesheli engingacabangi ukuthi wonke amaqembu angakwazi ukukhokha leyo mali. Noma kunjalo kusithathe amahora angaphezu kangu-20 ukufika eConakry ngoba sisuke lapha saya e-Ethiopia, sasuka khona saya e-Ivory Coast kwaba yima sifika eConakry,” kuqhuba lo mqeqeshi.
UMngqithi uthe ufisa ukubona ukuthi ngabe iyozala nkomoni kule Champions League ezoqala ngoDisemba igoqwe ngoMeyi.
“Uma ngingakhuluma iqiniso mina ngibona into engeke nhlobo ize yenzeke. Uzokhumbula ukuthi ngaphansi kwe-Absa Premiership sisuke simatasa nakhona njengoba kusuke sekushubile kweyeligi, kuqhubeka nomqhudelwano iNedbank Cup nayo iChampions League. Ngibona amaqembu akuleli ezoba nenkulu inkinga. Nanka akanke umbombo, ngiyafisa ukubona ukuthi iyozala nkomoni,” kusho yena.
Amaqembu akuleli azoba yingxenye yemiqhudelwano yeCAF, iSundowns ne-Orlando Pirates abazodlala kwiChampions League, kuzothi iKaizer Chiefs neFree State Stars badlale kwiConfederation Cup.
ISundowns izobhekana ne-AS Togo kwiChampions League ngoJulayi 17.