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Komphela keeps Maritzburg guessing

GOING OR STAYING?: Maritzburg United coach Steve Komphela Photo: ELIJAR MUSHIANA
GOING OR STAYING?: Maritzburg United coach Steve Komphela Photo: ELIJAR MUSHIANA

MARITZBURG United remain largely in the dark over coach Steve Komphela's intentions of a possible move to Chippa United, says club chairman Farook Kadodia.

Kadodia said Komphela has informed the club he remains their coach, but United have not had official information on a final decision.

"There's no change on the coaching position. Once everything is resolved I can tell you. But at the moment there's been nothing at all. They seem to be playing a very undercover situation," Kadodia said.

"Steve's agent [Tim Sukazi] has spoken to us. The ball is in their court, and we hope that either way we know where we stand. At the moment Steve has told us, 'I'm still the Maritzburg coach'. I have no idea if the Chippa move is still in the pipeline. The last time the agent and I spoke about the Chippa issue was about two weeks ago. When I spoke to him last week I didn't want to raise the issue. "Sukazi has told us you can't rush, and you have to give the coach time to apply his mind."

The Team of Choice exercised a two-year extension on Komphela's contract early this month.

Reports of the coach wanting to break his contract and move to the Chilli Boyz emerged two weeks ago.

Since a prospective move by the Absa Premiership returnees from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, lucratively sponsored by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and Eastern Cape government fell through, speculation has been that Komphela will not move.

Sukazi could not be reached for comment.

PE has since extended an offer, reportedly worth R36-million over three years, for Maritzburg to move to the city.

"We as a club need to find a position and see if we are happy to move or not," Kadodia said. "The only issue is that we cannot continue self-funding the club, because we've done it for too long now."

He said if his club's board recommends a move to PE, he will find it hard to decide otherwise, unless there was some form of counter-offer from KwaZulu-Natal.

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