Soccer bosses holding back progress

I am dismayed at the treatment of football players in the country by team owners and coaches.

Like any other employee, footballers are professionals whose welfare depends on their ability and skills. And like other employees who job hop in search of a better offer, soccer players deserve to be treated with respect when they switch teams.

It was disturbing to hear Amazulu chairman Sandile Zungu telling Siyethemba Sithebe that he will never wear the Amazulu jersey during his remaining five months with the club after he signed a pre-contract with Kaizer Chiefs. To add insult to injury, as punishment the club will also not release him until the end of the season.

Sadly, it has become the norm for teams to be selfish when players look for greener pastures while still contracted to them. Signing a pre-contract with another club is permissible according to Fifa laws.

Club owners discriminating against players who chase a better offer is tantamount to standing in the way of progress.

Footballers have families to feed, so they must think ahead. As a player, waiting for a contract to end and then hope your team will give you a new offer is not a smart move as you might find yourself in the wilderness.

We all serve notice when we change employment and a pre-contract is an indication that a player won’t renew his contract but will still work for the club for the remainder of the season. Soccer bosses must stop being greedy and selfish; football is a short career for players to push loyalty.

Malphia Honwane Gottenburg emanyeleti