Sunday World (South Africa)

Motaung refuses to spar with Amazulu boss

Usuthu owner says his club is not a dumping ground

- By Kgomotso Mokoena

Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung says they are aware of the utterances made by Amazulu chairperso­n and owner Sandile Zungu that he did not want Chiefs’ “rejects”, but says he will deal with the matter at an appropriat­e time.

Chiefs were seeking an exchange deal whereby they offered Usuthu two players in return for midfield workhorse Siyethemba Sithebe.

But Usuthu’s businessma­n boss Zungu gave them a big no and the deal has seemingly been halted. This comes after Sithebe is alleged to have signed a pre-contract with Amakhosi and will leave the Amazulu camp at the end of the season as a free agent.

“We were offered two players by Kaizer Chiefs and we made it very clear that look, we’re not a dumping ground for rejects. Yes, we were offered but we looked at the players that they were offering and we said no,” the Amazulu boss said, shocking Mzansi after he was quoted by Kick-off football magazine.

Motaung told Sunday World on Friday: “We have been reading and hearing things. I will respond to those comments at an appropriat­e time.

“We will deal with everything, including the signing of players, at the right time. Right now, I am not going to say much.”

Chiefs this week extended the contracts of seven of the club’s most promising players.

Nkosingiph­ile Ngcobo, Sabelo Radebe, Happy Mashiane, Reeve Frosler, Keletso Sifama, Bruce Bvuma and Thabo Mokoena all received new contracts that will see them stay with Amakhosi for the foreseeabl­e future.

According to the club’s website, six of the seven talented prospects are products of the Chiefs developmen­t academy and, having been promoted from the reserve team into the senior squad, impressed sufficient­ly to be rewarded with new deals.

Ngcobo, who joined Chiefs’ senior team in 2017 from the youth ranks, has been tied down until June 2024.

The exciting forward had a great debut season and continues to improve, showing he has all the attributes to become a top player.

Also staying until 2024 is goalkeeper Bvuma, a regular member of recent Bafana Bafana squads and in his fifth year with the senior Chiefs team.

Tembisa-born Mashiane and defender Frosler will also stay with the Glamour Boys for another three-and-a-half years, until June 2025.

Frosler, who joined the club at the end of the January transfer window in 2019, has extended his Amakhosi stay and will remain with the club until the end of June 2025 after putting pen to paper on a new deal with the club in the past few days.

Commenting on his new deal Frosler, who joined Chiefs during the mid-point of the 2018-19 season, said: “It’s almost exactly three years since I joined the club. It’s been a good three years. I am happy to have renewed my contract and to continue to be part of this big institutio­n.”*

 ?? ?? Bobby Motaung
Bobby Motaung
 ?? ?? Sandile Zungu
Sandile Zungu

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