/ 9 July 2008

Leopards forced to change their spots

Relegated Premier Soccer League (PSL) club Black Leopards on Tuesday announced they will be changing their spots with the massive sale of 14 leading players.

Pure economics is behind the announcement by spokesperson Chief Thidiela that the cream of the Polokwane club’s playing staff has been placed on the transfer list — with a huge disparity in income between teams playing in the Premiership and the First Division.

The immediate repercussion of Leopards’ relegation is that their monthly grant from the PSL will drop dramatically by R850 000 from R1-million to R150 000 in line with their diminished status.

The players on transfer are Christopher Netshidziwe, David Makgale, Myron Shongwe, Fischer Kondowe, Christian Moudouthe-Bille, Mulondo Sikhwivhilu, Thabiso Hlalele, Hlompho Kekana, Eric Ramavhale, Mayasisilua Lubanzadio, Hartman Torombo, Mashuu Mamphita, Jabulani Maluleke and Ephraim Tjihonge.

Among the players already in demand by other PSL clubs are goal-grabbers Shongwe and Maluleke, with big-spending Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates already on the scent of the club whose relegation fate was decided on Sunday in the play-off defeat against Bay United.

Leopards finished second bottom in the Absa Premiership last season and avoided the automatic relegation fate reserved for the last-placed team after a stunning late revival, but the play-offs have proved a bridge too far for the club.

And with Leopards having acquired a strong contingent of players from outside South Africa in their bid to avoid relegation, the ”foreigners” must now feel more than a little uneasy by a declaration from the Department of Home Affairs that they will need to find new clubs within a period of three months in order to remain in the country. — Sapa