Brockie must honour contract, says Matthews
SuperSport United not letting Kiwi leave for new club
JEREMY Brockie is contracted‚ coach Eric Tinkler wants to build his team around the Kiwi‚ and clubs have to set a precedent that players do not decide when their contracts end‚ SuperSport United boss Stan Matthews has said.
Matthews stressed that he was not at odds with Brockie‚ even if he was annoyed that the Kiwi had lost his focus, amid attempts by Mamelodi Sundowns to lure the striker to Chloorkop, to the extent that it meant he was left out of a crucial cup semifinal.
Matthews denied what a source told TimesLIVE – that Brockie had asked to be left out of SuperSport’s 1-1 MTN8 semifinal first-leg draw against Maritzburg United at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.
But he did say players could not be allowed to sulk their way out of contracts.
“Football has to take a stand‚” Matthews said.
“What culture are we encouraging‚ and is being inflated in the media‚ when Rivaldo Coetzee is allowed to go awol [at Ajax Cape Town]‚ Lebogang Manyama is allowed to try to sulk his way out of Cape Town City‚ and Khama Billiat at Sundowns‚ and I’m dealing with this with Brockie?
“It’s not on. Guys are in contracts – it’s not a suggestion or guideline. If clubs don’t honour them, we’re hauled before the courts and made to pay with damages.”
Matthews said Tinkler had decided to drop Brockie against Maritzburg after he put in a distracted performance in last week Wednesday’s 2-1 league win against Kaizer Chiefs.
“He was left out of the starting XI against Chiefs also. And we gave him a chance to come on at half time and show that he was motivated‚ and he didn’t take that‚” Matthews said. Now that SuperSport have made it clear that Brockie will not be moving‚ is there a question of management of an unhappy player?
Matthews said Brockie simply needed to get his head around being a SuperSport player to earn game time.
“I think it’s all a bit of a storm in a teacup‚” Matthews said.
“Not every player can expect to be sold whenever he wants to be sold. We’re standing by our commitments‚ and we expect him to do likewise.
“The thing is, the longer he’s on the sidelines it’s going to hurt him as well as us, so he’s got to decide what kind of professional he is now.
“He’s under contract earning millions of rands‚ and we expect him to do his job to the best of his ability.
“And if he doesn’t do that, I’m sure other clubs are also going to wonder what kind of character they were showing an interest in.
“So it’s up to him. If he responds the way we expect him to‚ banging in goals‚ winning trophies and earning his way out of the club‚ it’s certainly not our intention to hold onto him forever.
“But we’ve just appointed a new coach. The coach wanted to build the team around Jeremy‚ and we’re not going to have that undermined.
“If we win a trophy and Jeremy’s giving 1 000%, then don’t expect to see him at the club next season.
“But when that happens is our choice.
“And I don’t understand the media buying into‚ ‘The player’s unhappy’. Boohoo.
“The player’s unhappy earning millions of rands a year‚ because he can earn an extra million somewhere else? No.”