Birds will fly again now that Prins is gone

Moroka Swallows minority shareholders have managed a peaceful sleep for the first time in 16 years, they say.

They had been tormented by troubles that beset the club for years, with Swallows' relegation to the National First Division a bitter pill to swallow for the Birds die-hards.

But now that former club boss Leon Prins is gone, they are all smiles and committed to changing the side's fortunes.

"He's gone and I slept with peace for the first time in years after he finally quit," says Swallows' long-serving director Godfrey Gxowa.

"That man single-handedly destroyed this team. Swallows are where they are today because of Leon Prins. To say we are happy he's gone is an understatement."

And they hope Swallows will fly high with pride again without Prins.

Prins, who took over the reins in 2000, finally bowed to mounting pressure and did the right thing by resigning as managing director and chief executive on October 27.

I welcome his resignation but unfortunately he left the team in disarray. There are claims of unpaid salaries for players and management. Prins is also said to be owing creditors millions of rands.

Though some of us are thrilled by his resignation, Prins should not be lef off the hook.

He should be brought back to clean up the mess he left the team in. He should take full responsibility for his actions.

Swallows didn't deserve to be relegated and the elite league is incomplete without a team of their ilk.

I wonder if Prins, who took just 15 years to destroy this team, knows its history.

Does he know players like Joel "Ace" Mnini, Calvin Petersen, Thomas "Who's Fooling Who" Hlongwane, Andries "Panyaza" Maseko, Andries "Chaka-Chaka" Mpondo, Ephraim "Shakes" Mashaba, Trott Moloto, Aaron "Roadblock" Makhathini and Marcus Mphafudi?

I doubt he had seen their exploits on the pitch. He was probably somewhere in Germany.

When the club was relegated, Prins promised that they would bounce back, but I asked myself how would that be possible with an unhappy dressing room.

The players should be relieved that Prins is gone and they should fight for the team and do it for the Sowetans and their fans elsewhere.

Gxowa and company should do the right thing for the players. Make them happy and you will see the results.

It's also crucial to listen to your 12th player, unlike Prins, who was accused of having total disregard for the supporters.

Prins forgot one important thing in this game - that supporters are actually the owners of the club.

Charles Makhubu, one of the directors, raised hopes for the players when he told me they will be paid their salaries, and on time.

Makhubu, who staged a one-man sit-in at the Swallows offices at Dobsonville Stadium last week in support of Prins's removal, says he will also pay Prins a visit in Cape Town - from where he used to run the club by remote control - to see how he will settle the club's debts.

I hope the new management will find a solution to the club's problems and take Swallows back to where it belongs - in the Premier League.

With Prins now on the sidelines, there's no doubt a happy Swallows will fly high again.