It’s a rumour that has spread through Premier Soccer League soccer circles like wildfire. But the first official indication that top Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Calvin Marlin is heading from Supersport United to compulsive-spending Mamelodi Sundowns next season was provided on Monday by Brazilians coach Neil Tovey.
”The negotiations and signing of new players is not my territory,” said Tovey when asked to confirm the Marlin acquisition — a guarded response that effectively gave credence to the rumours.
Earlier, Supersport director of soccer Stan Matthews had revealed the shock news that Marlin, rated Bafana’s number-one goalkeeper, would be leaving the M-Net club at the end of the season ”because his contract expires and we simply are not prepared to pay the astronomical amount he has been offered elsewhere”.
”We have been informed he has signed a provisional contract with Sundowns,” said Matthews. ”Whether that is true or not, I don’t know.
”It’s obviously a major loss for us and we would like nothing better than to retain Calvin, who has been a credit to the club. But the amount he is receiving would blow your mind.
”It’s out of the realms of South African soccer finance — and we are not prepared to bend a principle regarding the payments to players for the sake of one man, no matter how good he might be.”
Should the proposed acquisition be completed, Sundowns would have five top goalkeepers — with four of them, Andre Arendse, Venezuelan Rafael Dudamel, Brian Baloyi and Marlin, already established internationals and the fifth a prospect with international potential.
”Perhaps they are thinking of assembling a team of 11 goalkeepers,” was the caustic comment from a rival club. ”But they are spending money like it’s going out of fashion — and still they have not won a worthwhile title in five years.” — Sapa