/ 16 July 1997

Phil and Fish leave for new clubs

WEDNESDAY, 12.30PM:

BAFANA BAFANA stars Mark Fish and Philemon Masinga left Johannesburg for Italy on Wednesday. Both players have changed clubs in Italy after playing there for one season.

Fish, who joined Lazio from Orlando Pirates last season, joins Bologna. “The problem at Lazio is the club has accrued the maximum of five foreign signings of which only three can play at the same time. This could have meant me spending a great deal of time on the substitute’s bench and that’s the last thing I need right now,” he said

For Masinga, whose place in the Bafana Bafana team was in jeopardy just nine months ago, when fans booed him out of the team, the transfer to Bari is a dream come true. He joined Italian Serie B side Salernitana from St Gallen of Switzerland. “The thought of playing against some of the world’s best players each week is a dream come true, and can be a big boost to my career,” he said.