His resignation from Bloemfontein Celtic came as a surprise to many, but newly-appointed Chippa United coach Lehlohonolo Seema insists that his move to Port Elizabeth was not as a result of financial problems at the club.
With a club placed in ninth position with a Nedbank Cup semi-final looming, one would think that there was still a bit for Seema to do at the Mangaung outfit.
Read: Highlands Downplay Mvala’s Dip In Form This Season
However, the coach tendered his resignation on Sunday 5 July, much to the surprise of Celtic and in Soccer Laduma’s edition 1183, he reveals his decision to jump ship was not motivated by finances.
“Surely, it was not about money and, as you know, Celtic’s financial problems have been well documented for some time now and if it was about the money, I would have jumped ship long time ago, like other coaches that have left. But I stuck with the team because I know where I come from with the team and I am not one person who likes to jump ship. I played for 10 seasons in the PSL, but only for two teams (Celtic and Orlando Pirates). I always try to stick and fight until I cannot fight anymore.”
The 49-year-old says he is excited by the challenge posed by the Chilli boys, a move he refers to as pivotal for his growth.
“This move was not about fighting, but rather a move of growth. It was for me to get new challenges. We were not fighting with Celtic. As much as there were problems, we were all good and even the players were fighting for the club, up until COVID-19 caught up with us. So, it’s not about that – the fight is in me and I will stop fighting the day I die. Working hard is in my DNA and the coaches I have worked with were all hard workers and I have seen from them that hard work pays,” Seema said.
Read: ‘Only God Can Decide Someone’s Future’
Get Soccer Laduma’s edition 1183 to find out what Seema had to say about:
- Maduka’s appointment at Celtic
- His Ambitions at Chippa United
- His Chippa United technical team