The story behind the scenes

Will this be an expensive lesson for Royal AM?

As seen in similar situations in the past, FIFA have often ruled in favour of the players, with the clubs dealt hefty financial penalties when found guilty.

In the case of Bloemfontein Celtic and their former captain Patrick Tignyemb, the Mangaung outfit had to fork out R3 million to the Cameroonian goalkeeper after the club were found guilty of unfairly dismissing the veteran.

Similarly, Venezuelan Gustavo Paez won his appeal with football governing body FIFA against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, with the club ordered to pay the attacker close to R2 million in outstanding fees after they terminated his two-year contract 15 days after it commenced.

More recently, Marumo Gallants were ordered to pay 22-year-old Ovella Ochieng, who is now on the books of Township Rollers in Botswana, R428,817 in compensation to avoid a FIFA ban. The Kenyan midfielder took Gallants to FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber over a contractual dispute after the club failed to register him and subsequently failed to pay him his agreed salary of R30,000 per month.

Although the exact figures have not been divulged, Nurkovic could be compensated handsomely should Royal AM be found guilty by FIFA and the amount could stretch to millions given that the Serbian was one of the high-earning players from his time at Chiefs.

Nurkovic’s local options

With the Serbian keen on remaining in Mzansi, he could be a possible solution to Sekhukhune United’s goalscoring woes. In his maiden season with Amakhosi, the aggressive striker was in contention for the PSL Golden Boot award. He managed 14 goals and six assists in 31 appearances, proving that he is capable of scoring goals. However, it has been proven that the style of the team would need to be adjusted to suit Nurkovic’s more direct style, as was the case with Gavin Hunt, who relied heavily on the Serbian, who managed four goals and four assists in 27 matches under the 58-year-old coach. With Hunt back at his old stomping ground with SuperSport United, there could potentially be a reunion on the cards. Another Gauteng-based option for Nurkovic could be the in the form of TS Galaxy, who have already snapped up a former Chiefs striker in veteran Bernard Parker. The duo worked to deadly effect on occasion at the club, although it often meant that Parker had to drop into a deeper role just behind the striker while Nurkovic was deployed in his preferred nine role. An added boost for the 30-year-old could be the presence of head coach Sead Ramovic, who boasts Serbian roots.

Africa and the East remain an option…

Following his breakout season with Chiefs, the club were said to have received a R15 million bid from Saudi Arabia’s Abha FC, while Kuwait Sporting Club of Kuwait was turned down. There was also reported interest from Morocco and Egypt in the player’s services. His form has since dipped since that standout season. However, his camp will be looking for the best possible option for the marksman, of which Africa and the Eastern region could be financially viable.

A return to Europe beckoning?

While the Siya crew understands his first option is to remain in South Africa and particularly in the DStv Premiership, a return to Europe for Nurkovic cannot be ruled out at this point in time. The striker has enjoyed a nomadic career, having turned out for nine teams in his native Serbia and Austria.