Mamelodi Sundowns officials gave the uncomfortable impression on Monday that they were skirting between the devil and the deep blue sea when the issue of Peter Ndlovu staying at the club was raised.
And it’s not surprising either when considering that the signing of the veteran former Zimbabwe captain and goal-scoring hero — on terms that made him the highest paid player in South Africa soccer four seasons ago — also constituted one of the biggest transfer gaffes committed by a Premier Soccer League (PSL) club.
Now Ndlovu’s contract is about to expire and the only certainty about his future is that he won’t be offered a similar deal by a rueful Sundowns to the one that reportedly guaranteed him a salary of R160 000-plus a month.
However, despite Ndlovu emerging as possibly the PSL’s flop of the decade in measuring what was expected from him to what he produced, Sundowns are clearly not altogether convinced the time is ripe to dispense with his services.
There still appears a glimmer of hope in their camp that the Ndlovu — who took Bafana Bafana apart in a Caf Nations Cup qualifying game almost 14 years ago and went on to have an auspicious career in English soccer — can rise again and belatedly provide Sundowns with the dividends expected from their considerable outlay.
Wishful thinking it might be, but Sundowns are not allowing Ndlovu to leave just yet.
”He’s with us in our training camp in Cape Town,” said Sundowns coach Gordon Igesund, ”and training hard with the rest of the players. We’re weighing up what kind of new contract we might offer him, if we offer him anything at all.
”It’s all in the melting pot,” added Igesund, suggesting it depended on how Ndlovu shaped in training.
But just as important is the whether Ndlovu will accept a huge salary cut if he stays at Sundowns. — Sapa