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MAMELODI Sundowns midfielder Teko Modise has spoken for the first time about his reasons for leaving Orlando Pirates.

Modise spilled the beans last night on presented by kwaito king Arthur Mafokate on SABC3.

When asked why he broke the hearts of the Buccaneers fans, he said it was because the club did not want to release him when big overseas clubs wanted him.

He said the first team that showed interest in him was Greece s

’ Panathinaikos FC. Within a year of playing for “Pirates, I was supposed to go to Greece but the move didn t

’ happen because at the time they thought Greece was not a footballing country and there needed to be better countries to come and acquire my services,” he told Mafokate.

Modise, who played for Pirates between 2007 and 2011, said at the time the Greeks made inquiries, he had a year left on his contract and Pirates extended it so that

“when they come, Orlando Pirates can have the money ”.

I “didn t have

’ a problem because Orlando Pirates gave me the platform,” he said.

He said after signing the new contract, many clubs from countries like England, Spain and France came through and wanted to sign him but Pirates frustrated his prospects. I think what made it worse was “that the guys from Greece came back for the second time. When they sent e-mails to the “club they would CC [copy] me, so I could see the numbers and already your mind is somewhere else hoping you are going to leave, especially at that time I was at the peak of my career so I was hoping OK, sharp, let s do this ’,” he said. ‘ ’

Modise said despite the heartbreak, he still loves the club.

He also spoke to Mafokate about his love life. Although he was hesitant at first, he confessed that he is single. My love life is OK. I don t know “’ how to say this. If you are trying to ask if there is somebody,

he said. He attributed this to his past experiences, including a failed marriage. It s because I have been in a “’ situation where you get to question yourself with the person that you are with. I don t want to

’ be in that situation again, where I need to sit down and re-evaluate myself.”

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