WeeklySA_AdminWHITHER: Having arrived amid much fanfare, the club has struggled to adjust to the gruelling PSL standard of football, managing a single victory and a draw from seven outings…
By Masoja Cele
Beleaguered Siwelele FC are in for a tough assignment when they host cross town rivals Marumo Gallants on Sunday at the Dr Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein
Siwelele came into the Premier Soccer League after buying the franchise of SuperSport United early in the new season. However, the club who arrived with massive fanfare has struggled to adjust to the gruelling PSL standard of football and has only managed a single victory and a draw from seven outings.
Worsening matters was their bus travels to Durban and Polokwane to honour fixtures against Durban City and Magesi FC in respectively. The South African Football Players (Sapfu) have since protested, warning of the club’s reckless governance and disrespect of players.
As if this was not enough, on Sunday Siwelele relieved club CEO Stan Matthews and assistant coach Andre Arendse of their duties.
The inexperience within the club’s administration is definitely affecting the team’s performance. Following all the shenanigans it will be anyone’s guess how they will pan out in Sunday’s 3pm clash against Gallants.
Coach Lehlohonolo Seema side can’t afford another slip after their 1-0 defeat against Orlando Pirates in a midweek fixture. Lehlohonolo will have his hands full trying to motivate and uplift the morale of his players.
Truth be told, Siwelele boast a number of quality and experience players who have PSL credentials, especially those who came with the SuperSport package: the likes of Vincent Pule, Samir Nurkovic, Nyiko Mobbie, Gamphan Lungu, Grant Margerman, Ricardo Goss.
On Tuesday, the team signed Happy Mashiane and Samkelo Zwane on a season loan from Kaizer Chiefs. Zwane and Mashiane were part of Amakhosi team during the reign of coach Arthur Zwane. However, under coach Nasreddine Nabi both players made cameo appearances.
The club also enlisted the services of former Pirates striker Zakhele Lepasa on a free transfer.
Lepasa who is also a Bafana Bafana player will add more power to the Siwelele goal shy strike force. The target man will be expected to partner with former Amakhosi talisman Christien Saile to unsettle Gallants defence.
After the arrival of French gaffer Alexandre Lafitte in July Gallants has improved in great strides. Latiffe is the youngest coach in the PSL at 28 years old. The Bloemfontein side are currently perched on ninth position on the log with nine points from seven matches. Latiffe’s troops will seek redemption for last week’s disappointing draw against newbies Orbit College FC.
The return of Katlego Otladisa and Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo will add more fire-power in their engine room. Both players are returnees after spending time at Pirates.
The duo is expected to create a forceful combination with the versatile Monde Mpambaniso in the belly of the field to feed runaway forward Daniel Msendani.
Long servant of the game Siyabonga Nhlapho who joined from SuperSport United will likely partner with the hard tackling Lebohang Mabotja in central defence.
