Remorseful Rivaldo Coetzee returns from self-imposed exile and apologises to Ajax Cape Town

Truant Ajax Cape Town defender Rivaldo Coetzee has apologised to the club after going AWOL for over three weeks and has been relegated to the reserve team.

Speaking in a short video that was posted on the club’s twitter account on Tuesday afternoon‚ Coetzee confirmed that he held a meeting with his employers before training with the MDC team.

“I requested a meeting with the Ajax CT bosses to discuss my future with the club‚" he said.

"Firstly‚ I would like to apologise to the club‚ coaches and my team-mates for the way I behaved over the past three weeks.

"Ajax has played a huge role in my career in terms of my development and myself and the club are working out a way of how they are going to help me develop even further.

"I am happy to announce that I spoke to coach Stanley Menzo and apologised to him and we will decide what the future holds.

"I am happy to say that I have returned to training with the MDC side team as of today (Tuesday)‚” he said.

Coetzee had not reported for pre-season training‚ hopeful of either pushing for a move away from the club or to land a better deal having been named Player of the Year and players’ Player of the Year in the 2016-17 season.

The 20-year-old Bafana international had drawn interest from home and abroad‚ but clubs were put off by the reported R13-million price-tag Ajax placed on him.

Menzo was not a happy man and he said last week Coetzee had no respect for his teammates.

- TimesLIVE