Manyama, Ngoma sign up for CT City until 2020-21
CAPE Town City have received a major boost with the news that the club have extended the contracts of key duo Lebogang Manyama and Aubrey Ngoma for four more years.
The pair have been crucial to the Mother City club’s excellent season start that has seen them top the log for much of the campaign and also claim the Telkom Knockout trophy.
Club captain Manyama‚ in particular‚ has been in the form of his life‚ with nine goals and a number of assists in all competitions‚ leading to rumours that the big clubs of Gauteng were interested in his services.
But City have moved swiftly to quash those by announcing yesterday that they had signed new deals with the two to keep them with the team until the 2020-21 season.
City owner John Comitis said: “With the ambitions and exciting plans for Cape Town City in the near future‚ it was an easy decision for Aubrey and Lebo to stay‚ as they are determined to play integral parts in this journey.
“Our players are at the top of their game because they are happy‚ motivated and love the club.
“The team play for one another and therefore play without fear.
“When in-demand players like Aubrey and Lebo make a statement and long-term commitment like this, you begin to understand just how powerful and unified this team is becoming.
“This sends a clear message that Cape Town City is a club for the future‚ one that strives to play a dynamic brand of football‚ keeping the talent necessary to compete for trophies every season.”
Comitis is determined his team will not become a selling club‚ a dig perhaps at neighbours Ajax Cape Town‚ who regularly lose their top talent to bigger teams.
“The idea of cashing in is not part of our strategy.
“We are not a selling club‚ we are here to win.
“Our fans and trophy cabinet are ultimately important as we strive to bring fan culture and pride back to the Mother City,” he said.
City coach Eric Tinkler has been further boosted by the return to fitness of striker Lehlohonolo Majoro‚ who had been missing since the end of November with a calf strain.
Austrian Roland Putsche has also been able to resume training after it was feared he could miss the restart of the league campaign next month.
City will host Highlands Park on February 7 before a crunch home derby against Ajax four days later.