South Africa's Big Clubs Have The Financial Muscle To Buy...
'You have a handful of big clubs with the financial muscle to buy any player' – that's according to Farook Kadodia after the Maritzburg United lost both Siphesihle Ndlovu and Fortune Makaringe to Orlando Pirates. Read: Why Maritzburg Sell Their Stars… Three of the clubs most impressive finds in recent years – Ndlovu, Makaringe, and Lebohang Maboe (who joined Mamelodi Sundowns last season) – have all now been sold to bigger clubs after making their names in Pietermaritzburg, and Kadodia insists that there's not much they could do about it. Maritzburg have had plenty of success of late when it comes to unearthing talent locally and bringing in players from outside South Africa that have gone on to impress in the Absa Premiership, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to keep hold of them for long periods of time. Kadodia, who doesn't plan to change their strategy any time soon, has bemoaned the power of the 'big clubs' but admits that it's just part of the game. Speaking to the club's official website, Kadodia said, "Unfortunately, it's the way the football world works. It's the same in nearly all leagues, where you have a handful of big clubs with the financial muscle to buy any player they want. Read: Chiefs Reveal 'Further Announcements' To Come… "The rest of the clubs are effectively feeder teams, and need to box clever in terms of continuing to produce their own players, and to uncover 'rough diamonds'…This is something I believe we have successfully done over the years at Maritzburg and which we are proud of. "Whether it's developing our own youngsters in our academy, delving into the African continent to bring in previously unknown players, or looking at the lower leagues in this country, I believe we can be proud of our record in developing players and ultimately allowing them to take the next step – both financially and from a career view point – by not standing in their way when external offers come in."
