What do Erick Mathoho, Kgotso Moleko, Khama Billiat, Willard Katsande, Bruce Bvuma, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Lebohang Manyama, Bernard Parker and Siphelele Ntshangase have in common?
Yes, we know all nine are Kaizer Chiefs players. But what some people don’t know is that come the end of June this year, their contracts at the Soweto giant will be ending.
As far as I know, none of these players is assured of their future with the club. At least no announcements have been made to suggest differently.
In fact, a willing buyer can pre-sign any of these players for the 2021-22 season.
What’s also interesting is that the predicament these players find themselves in coincides with the end of Chiefs’ ban on signing new players. Chiefs may only start signing in July as per the Fifa ruling.
And if Chiefs are lucky, those new signings could involve some of those I’ve mentioned, as they can only renew their contracts in July.
I know that most, if not all, of these players are dedicated to Chiefs and would like to continue wearing the famous gold and black jersey for many years to come.
Club veterans like Katsande (35), Parker (34), Mphahlele (31) and Mathoho (31) would like nothing more than to sign off on a high note, if their services won’t be needed next season.
It’s the players’ performances on the field that will guide the club as to whether they’re still needed next season.
If there were no ban, Chiefs would have indicated months ago what the future holds for these players. But right now we don’t know and neither do they.
There has been a lot of speculation about what might happen at Chiefs come July. A number of new players are linked with the club, but again there’s been no official confirmation. It’s just speculation.
It must be tough for these veterans not knowing what their future holds. Unlike the young players who might have no problem moving town or from one province to another.
It’s unlikely an overseas team would sign these players, but it happened with another former Chiefs star, Siphiwe Tshabalala, who went overseas in 2018 at the age of 34.
However, not everyone is Tshabalala, the face of the 2010 Fifa World Cup in SA.
Unsettled by all this uncertainty, these players still have about four months to help the club keep in the DStv Premiership and try to win the Caf Champions League.
After a bad run of eight matches without a win in all competitions, Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt made eight changes to the team that started in last Saturday’s Champions League 2-0 victory over Angolan side Petro Atletico.
It was Amakhosi’s first win in Group C after a draw against Al-Hilal of Sudan and a loss against Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic.
Chiefs’ win over Atletico suggested Amakhosi players can actually play, if they want to.
I also sensed that, having read all the stories about their pending future, players like Mathoho, who scored a brilliant headed opening goal, Manyama, Katsande and Parker were playing for their future.
Having played against Maritzburg United in a league match yesterday, these players still have 12 league matches and at least three more games in the Champions League to show Hunt that despite their age they still want to be part of the club next season.
Yes, it’s going to be tough for the club, given their age especially in the cases of Katsande and Parker, to keep them.
But you can’t build a new house without a solid foundation and some of these veterans could form part of that foundation. They could help ease the young and new players in at Chiefs next season.
I like the answer Mphahlele, the current skipper at Chiefs, gave a few weeks ago when he was asked about his future with the club.
“A contract is an individual thing, whereby when the season ends the club reviews who deserves to stay or go.
“I don’t stop (playing) now and go to the manager (Bobby Motaung) because my contract is coming to an end. The most important thing is to focus on my job.”
Indeed, Mphahlele and the other veterans have done exactly that under trying circumstances at Chiefs this season.
They’ve done so without any assurances about their future. When you’re over 30, it can’t be an easy question to answer.
As Mphahlele rightfully said, it’s the players’ performances on the field that will guide the club as to whether they’re still needed next season.
All the players can do is keep their form and help the club salvage what’s left of yet another turbulent season — an unprecedented sixth — that they may well finish without a trophy.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.