Abraw's contract turns ugly

What was meant to be an amicable solution over Camaldine Abraw's contract has now turned into an ugly battle between league champions Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic.

Celtic chairman Max Tshabalala has taken off his kid gloves and yesterday confirmed they are taking Abraw to the Premier Soccer League's dispute resolution chamber (DRC) for breach of contract after Amakhosi unveiled the former Free State Stars player on Tuesday despite signing a three-year pre-contract with Phunya Sele Sele.

Tshabalala claims Amakhosi manager Bobby Motaung called him the day before Abraw's unveiling and gave the player the phone to apologise to Celtic.

Stars exercised a one-year extension option on the player's contract and then sold him to Amakhosi.

"This thing is going to the DRC. We want our player back. We have written to Chiefs and the player must come back to us. We have lodged a complaint with the DRC and we are waiting for the dates," Tshabalala said.

"The day before he [Abraw] was unveiled, Bobby let me talk to the player after training. The player said he was sorry for what he had done.

"Bobby would have never done that if he did not know the player has signed a contract with us. He may have gone to Stars to get his clearance, but that does not nullify what was done before that. He came to us looking for a job and we even gave him our programme [for the off-season]."

Motaung said they were ready for a fight. He also denied even knowing Tshabalala.

"We heard about that. Let them come. We will go to the DRC with them," he said yesterday.

"I won't talk about their chairman. I don't know that man. I have never met him before. And I do not talk to him through the media," Motaung added.

This is not the first time Chiefs are involved in a transfer dispute. Previously, Chiefs have lost transfer disputes involving Dumisa Ngobe, Lesley Manyathela, Papi Zothwane and Siphelele Mthembu.