Retired goalkeeper Avril Phali has likened the situation at his former club, Jomo Cosmos, to that of a patient in ICU.
Cosmos are facing possible relegation from the GladAfrica Championship, SA football's second-tier, and their recent 3-2 loss to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila has nudged them closer to their deathbed.
Rockbottom in the division, with 21 points with nine points to play for, Ezenkosi need to win all of their three remaining games if they are to make it to 30 points, which may not be enough to save them.
Their destiny is not in their hands, fellow relegation candidates TS Sporting in 15th with 27 points and Pretoria Callies in 15th place with 29 points may play God with Cosmos. Should Sporting get three points or Callies go past the 30 point mark, it may be over for Cosmos.
Phali, who played for Cosmos for more than 10 years, is dreading the thought of his beloved club going to the ABC Motsepe League.
“It's hard, it's similar to being in the ICU, fighting for your life. When you look at the calculations, it also gets hard,” said Phali.
“If it happens the team goes down, a big institution would have fallen. The chances are slim (for survival), let’s hope the guys respond. This is ICU straight, the machine can switch off and you can die.”
For Cosmos to find themselves in the situation they are in involves many factors. Phali believes the main catalyst has been the club’s transfer policy, saying they have failed to replace key players they sold over the years.
“The problem is selling quality players and not replacing them with quality. Now, in modern football, if you sell you must have a direct back-up,” said the keeper who also played for Orlando Pirates after Cosmos.
“If you sell two to three players every year, it’ll end up affecting you, it’ll catch up with you. You have to replace the players. I think the downfall was selling and not replacing. In modern football you have to do your homework,” he said.
The next game will be a vital one for Cosmos, as they take on fellow strugglers TS Sporting at Tsakane Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.
Ezenkosi are in ICU – Phali
Cosmos transfer policy has left the club depleted, says retired goalie
Retired goalkeeper Avril Phali has likened the situation at his former club, Jomo Cosmos, to that of a patient in ICU.
Cosmos are facing possible relegation from the GladAfrica Championship, SA football's second-tier, and their recent 3-2 loss to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila has nudged them closer to their deathbed.
Rockbottom in the division, with 21 points with nine points to play for, Ezenkosi need to win all of their three remaining games if they are to make it to 30 points, which may not be enough to save them.
Their destiny is not in their hands, fellow relegation candidates TS Sporting in 15th with 27 points and Pretoria Callies in 15th place with 29 points may play God with Cosmos. Should Sporting get three points or Callies go past the 30 point mark, it may be over for Cosmos.
Phali, who played for Cosmos for more than 10 years, is dreading the thought of his beloved club going to the ABC Motsepe League.
“It's hard, it's similar to being in the ICU, fighting for your life. When you look at the calculations, it also gets hard,” said Phali.
“If it happens the team goes down, a big institution would have fallen. The chances are slim (for survival), let’s hope the guys respond. This is ICU straight, the machine can switch off and you can die.”
For Cosmos to find themselves in the situation they are in involves many factors. Phali believes the main catalyst has been the club’s transfer policy, saying they have failed to replace key players they sold over the years.
“The problem is selling quality players and not replacing them with quality. Now, in modern football, if you sell you must have a direct back-up,” said the keeper who also played for Orlando Pirates after Cosmos.
“If you sell two to three players every year, it’ll end up affecting you, it’ll catch up with you. You have to replace the players. I think the downfall was selling and not replacing. In modern football you have to do your homework,” he said.
The next game will be a vital one for Cosmos, as they take on fellow strugglers TS Sporting at Tsakane Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.