A NEW dawn has arrived at Bloemfontein Celtic.
The club is now under new management, after businessman Max Tshabalala bought it last week.
Tshabalala bought out the Augousti brothers - Ikie and Jimmy - to have complete control of the club.
On Friday, Phunya SeleSele unveiled their new jersey for the upcoming season. They also used the opportunity to parade their new signings, among them Ruben Cloete and Bevan Fransman, to their supporters who came in droves to Bloem Plaza, in central Bloemfontein.
A jovial Tshabalala, who loosened up and joined the club's faithful in song, was realistic about the club's 2014/2015 prospects, but was also ambitious.
"We are not going to go crazy and talk about winning the league because we are not there yet," Tshabalala said.
"Our target is a top four finish in the new season, but we also feel that we are good enough to challenge for one of the trophies on offer."
Tshabalala said winning a trophy and competing well in the league will be a challenge he and his team were ready for.
"I am excited because we have a very good mix of experience and youth, so I feel that this team can go places," he told Sowetan.
In order to achieve that, Tshabalala will need to hold on to his best players as other teams will always make moves to lure them away. He said he was well prepared to ward off any teams making moves on any of his best players, citing Gabadinho Mhango as one of the players who is courted by some of the big clubs in the Premier Soccer League.
"There was interest in Mhango but I refused to sell him. We have made a good offer to him and I am positive that he will sign," Tshabalala said.
"We made him a good offer and he accepted and that is a clear indication that we are no longer going to be selling our best talent to other clubs. If we are going to perform well, we need all our best players.
"You can tell by the signings we have made that we want to do well. Both Cloete and Fransman bring with them a wealth of experience and the other two signings (Tshepo Chaine and Dumisani Zuma) although very young, have a great future. So the message is clear that we are serious about winning things."
Over the years, Celtic have sold some of their finest talent such as Mark Mayambela, Tlou Segolela, Mulomowandau Mathoho and Thabo Nthete and if what Tshabalala is saying is to be believed, other clubs will have to put their focus elsewhere when it comes to signing new players.
Meanwhile, both Fransman and Cloete said they were itching to hit the ground running following a rousing welcome from the club's supporters with a hearty Siwelele song.
The two players could do very little to hide the excitement on their beaming faces. No strangers to football fans, and by all accounts each one of them having played for the "big two" in Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, respectively, the two said they were excited to be associated with a team of Celtic's stature that commands a big following.
"I have never seen anything like this," Fransman gushed about the Celtic supporters.
"It is definitely a different culture here. It is a nice change from vuvuzelas to actually hearing the supporters singing and I cannot wait to play in front of them," he said.
The supporters' undying love for the club is what will spur the players on, according to Cloete. "With such supporters rallying behind us, we cannot afford to let them down," Cloete said.
For the past few weeks Tshabalala has had to dispel rumours that he was fronting for some politicians in the province.
"That is an insult to my family. That is saying our money is not good enough if I am going to be used as a front. The Tshabalala family owns the club and that is it," he said.
The club has not only made changes to their playing personnel. Lifetime president Petros Molemela, who sold the club for R600000 over a decade ago, said he will have an active role in the club as well as a monthly allowance, although Tshabalala refused to divulge how much he will give him. It was not clear in which capacity Molemela will be employed.
Molemela was happy with the news.
selebim@sowetan.co.za