Some players betrayed us, fumes relegated Maritzburg boss

Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia feels they were betrayed by certain players in the past season on their way to getting the axe. 

Having been a mainstay in the top flight, Maritzburg will now have to restructure and prepare for life in the NFD after they lost out to Cape Town Spurs in the promotion playoffs last week.

The Team of Choice’s relegation was a long time coming based on how the club have had to sell their best talent over the years to survive.

Dissecting the relegation from his end, Kadodia pinned it on the players, this based on the mistakes they made during the campaign, and lack of urgency. This for the Maritzburg boss was the ultimate betrayal from his players. 

“I’m still gutted, to be honest,” said Kadodia when asked about his club’s relegation.

“It was a very difficult season to understand certain behaviour of the players, there were unnecessary mistakes that were happening and in football, players get away with murder. You don’t know whether it’s a mistake or deliberate. Right until the end and when we fought and God allowed us to go to the playoffs, a lot of players did not show body language that appreciated the chance to play in the playoffs.

“In the very final game, we needed one goal, that’s all we needed but the spirit, the fight, and time-wasting; it was clearly evident that some players had an agenda of their own. I don’t think Maritzburg or the board has failed, we were betrayed by certain players in the team,” he said. 

Relegation is normally followed by a mass exodus as clubs can’t afford to operate like they were in the premiership. Many are expected to leave due to contracts coming to an end and being sold. Kadodia painted a picture of what would come in the coming weeks.  

“We’ve given all the players whose contracts  are coming to an end the opportunity of moving on in life,” Kadodia said. 

“There are six or seven players that have come to an end. We’ve given players whose contracts we might not manage renew the opportunity to talk to us and also indicated that a few players will be on the transfer list. It will bring value to the club. That’s our future with players,” he said.