The sale of Mpumalanga Black Aces' franchise and the subsequent awaited relocation of the club from Johannesburg to Cape Town continues to be a poor reflection on the PSL and looks to be a time-bomb just waiting to explode.
Former Ajax Cape Town boss, John Comitis, is now officially the new owner of AmaZayoni but his successful acquisition of the club has left many a player disgruntled. While it is within Comitis and the Morfou brothers, Mario and George's, rights to buy and sell the franchise, players also have the right to receive what is owed to them. What appears to have happened to some of the club's players shows a lack of respect and a disregard for the most important members involved in this multi-million Rand transaction.
I have been speaking to a number of Aces players, enquiring about their relocation, the way forward and everything in-between. A number of shocking revelations, or rather accusations, came flying from every direction when I spoke to the peeved players. According to the information at my disposal, the players found out through the media about the club's sale and, whenever they tried to double-check the information, they were told not to trust the media. The players also allege that some of them are still owed signing-on fees from last season by the old owners, a bill that wasn't settled before the transaction between Comitis and the Morfou brothers took place.
The players also allege that they were promised bonuses if they finished in the top five, something they achieved with flying colours. However, it seems the old management hasn't played ball on this account at all! This is obviously money the players had planned for as soon as it became clear that they would be able to accomplish their mission. It was a motivation and, more importantly, something they worked so hard for. According to my sources, former club coach Muhsin Ertugral promised to fight for the players and ensure that they get their bonuses but, as fate would have it, the coach has since parted ways with the club, leaving the players even more worried about the chances of getting their bonuses.
"How do we go to the new owners and ask them about the bonus that was promised to us by the previous owners? What about those whose contracts were promised would be 'sorted out' during pre-season?" asked one player.
Another player told me that one of the previous owners went on national radio and promised to pay every cent owed to the players before the transfer of the club's ownership was finalised. Did that happen? Certainly not according to the players. The player also revealed that the bosses promised to organise a lunch meeting with the players, where they would officially break the news to them and also engage them on any concerns they may have about the sale of the club's franchise. To this day, according to the players, that lunch is still pending and the previous owners are nowhere to be found. Apparently some of the players have even taken things into their own hands by driving to the club's offices in an attempt to solicit some answers to their questions, without much luck as the staff doesn't even know whether they themselves are coming or going as they have had no word from the previous club owners.
Aces, according to the players, were initially due to resume their pre-season training on Tuesday, but that didn't happen. Comitis is still putting things together but he's definitely running out of time and, at the rate things are going, he surely has his work cut out. It will be interesting to find out whether he has inherited the previous owners' debts, however I highly doubt that will be the case.
Some of Aces' reliable, loyal and senior players had secured their lives after football under the club's previous owners. A player like Bafana Nhlapo, for instance, was one of the players promised a job in the club's MultiChoice Diski Challenge side from next season, but what happens to him now that the club is relocating and under new owners? Remember, his name was one of the first few that were dropped as unwanted by the new club owners.
A heartrending scenario played itself out when one of the junior players told me, "Eish, to think that the previous owners didn't even have the decency to inform our captain and senior players of their intention to sell the club is just unacceptable! I'm talking about the guys who have been nothing but loyal servants to this club from their days in the National First Division to date. We have been calling them trying to find out what is going on and they know as much as we do, which is really sad. One of the senior guys told me he has been trying to get hold of the previous owners without any luck as their phones keep ringing and they don't return his calls. He said the only person they have been in contact with is Mr Comitis. Why is the PSL not protecting us? Why don't they intervene and ensure that the previous owners settle their bills before the transfer of the club's ownership is approved?"
The player has a point, if you think about it. This reflects badly on the image of the Absa Premiership, which is considered as one of the best leagues in the world. The amount of work that has been put into this league over the last decade or so is there for everyone to see, however, if club owners are allowed to behave in this manner, then that's tantamount to bringing the league into disrepute.
I know of a number of players who have lost signing-on fees from greedy club owners at other clubs who have failed to honour their ends of certain bargains. Some of these players have since called it quits on their football careers and life has moved on, while these greedy club owners continue to make money out of the game. It is time the PSL took strong action against these occurrences and condemn them in the strongest possible light. Players also need to stand up for their rights in unison and stop being apologetic. They deserve a lot more respect than this! If this is the legacy the Morfou brothers have indeed chosen to leave behind, shame on them!
For the next couple of weeks, we will be monitoring the Aces situation closely and getting the answers from all the relevant parties, as it is only fair that we get to the bottom of this debacle!
Cheers
VeeJay
