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Covid-19 seems to have taken a toll

Tough times force teams to avoid big-name signings

Neville Khoza Journalist
Elias Pelembe is still clubless despite being a free agent since his former team Bidvest Wits was bought.
Elias Pelembe is still clubless despite being a free agent since his former team Bidvest Wits was bought.
Image: Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images

That several high-profile players remain clubless at this stage of the season may indicate that Covid-19 hit the clubs’ finances very hard such that the salary demands of these players are scaring them off.

Former Bidvest Wits attacking midfielder Elias Plelembe is among the high-profile names whose signature is still up for grabs.

Pelembe did not join Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) when they completed the Wits takeover.

He has been training with GladAfrica Championship side Pretoria Callies with the hope of getting a contract.

Sources have confirmed that Pelembe and Jabulani Shongwe have been training with the club, but nothing happened.

“Pelembe is still looking for a team. He wanted to go to Callies, but it looks like it didn’t work,” a source said.

“Together with Shongwe; they were training with the club. He can sign any time with a team of his choice, even after the window closed.”

Callies, however, revealed that they did not sign any of the players who were training with them. “We don’t have big-name players in our team,” Doctor Maphalle, the club media officer, said yesterday.

“We are not going to unveil the new players we’ve signed. But what I can confirm to you is that we don’t have big players here.”

Another player who also does not have a team is former Wits midfielder Sifiso Myeni, and he is still searching for a club. “I’m not playing at the moment. I don’t have any team,” Myeni told Sowetan yesterday. “I don’t know if there is any team interested in my service. So I will keep on waiting.”

Other high-profile players who are still looking for clubs include Tendai Ndoro. The former Orlando Pirates striker parted ways with Highlands Park in June and is free to join a club of his choice.

Former Pirates and SuperSport United attacking midfielder Thabo Qalinge is also searching for a club. 

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