Phiri backs Lebo’s move to Chiefs
Despite advising star to stay in Turkey he returned to SA
Lebohang Manyama’s representative and mentor Maimane Phiri has reiterated that he played no role in his protégé’s move to Kaizer Chiefs after leaving Turkish side Konyaspor in July.
“I was not involved at all. There’s Mario, a guy from Turkey, who facilitated Manyama’s move to Chiefs.
“At the time of the negotiations, I was busy with something else but Lebo is still my boy. There’s no bad blood at all,” Phiri told Sowetan.
“Mario is not Manyama’s agent, but we have a good relationship with him. He helped Lebo while he was still in Turkey,” added Phiri, who also plied his trade in Turkey for Genclerbirligi and Samsunspor, between 1996 and 2002.
Phiri, 44, is aware of widespread rumours that there’s no love lost between him and Chiefs after Amakhosi had blamed him for Manyama’s botched switch to the club back in 2013.
“That’s not true. In 2013, the only reason Manyama did not join Chiefs was that Super- Sport gave us a better deal.”
The 27-year-old Manyama had joined Konyaspor in August last year after a stellar season with Cape Town City, where he won the Footballer of the Season gong, the Golden Boot (with 13 goals), and the Players’ Player of the Year.
However, he endured a rather torrid spell in Turkey, scoring twice in 11 matches, before Chiefs snatched him as a free agent last week.
Although Phiri supports Manyama’s Chiefs move, he said he would have liked him to stay put in Europe.
“I would have preferred him to stay overseas a little bit but now that he chose to come back I support him. I am positive that he’ll help Chiefs win trophies,” noted Phiri.
“They must just be patient with him to regain his fitness.”
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