‘I haven’t received one cent for the transfer of Iqraam’ — SuperSport CEO Matthews on why Rayners didn’t play against them

SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews has clarified that Iqraam Rayners was ineligible to play against them because Stellenbosch hasn’t settled the transfer fee. 

SuperSport played to a 0-0 DStv Premiership draw with Stellenbosch at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) on Tuesday but Rayners was not eligible to play against his former team. 

“Up to now, I haven’t received one cent for the transfer of Rayners because they asked for some time before they could make their first payment,” explained Matthews during a function where they announced the extension of their partnership with technology company Huawei. 

“Stellenbosch couldn’t give me all the money that I wanted for the player, so the terms of the agreement and payment plan with them was paying over time. Now that they are in the Nedbank Cup semifinal, I think that time has come,” he said with a wry smile. 

“The reality was that I was basically doing Stellenbosch a favour, to give them a player before they have the capacity to play for him. I didn’t feel that it was fair that I should be doing that and they have him against me. 

“That was the reason we put that clause in the contract and I am not sorry about it, if Stellenbosch paid up front there would have been no conditions attached. 

“I understand what is like to be a smaller club, you can’t afford to pay and there are many times where I feel I could get payments terms. I feel comfortable about doing a deal with them.” 

Matthews said Stellenbosch was the right club for Rayners to go back to because they suit his style of play. 

“I also know where I got Iqraam from, I signed him on a free from Stellenbosch and I genuinely believed it was the right club for him to go back to because they play him a way that suits his style. 

“He doesn’t have to track back or fit into any kind of structure, he is allowed a free role up front to do as he pleases and that suits his style, his pace and his game.  

“We play with more structure, with more tracking back and more emphasis on pressing and defending and when you add all those factors up, the move back to Stellenbosch was the right move for Iqraam. 

“There were other clubs that were also interested in him and to be fair he personally wanted to go back to CT. His stats have been phenomenal for any striker in any league anywhere in the world and I am happy for him.”