Veteran coach Walter Rautmann dropped a bombshell on Wednesday by quitting Mbabane Swallows on the eve of their crunch African Champions League first round, first leg clash against SuperSport United at the Somhlolo Stadium, Mbabane on Sunday.
The Austrian born coach said his life was threatened by another coach at the club. “I was assaulted by one of the coaches who doubles up as a player’s agent.
“He threatened to kill me because I had taken his job. No job, especially a temporary one, is worth my life and I as my four week contract with the club was over, I went back home to Johannesburg.
“If Swallows had wanted me to stay they should have renegotiated with me.”
Rautmann, who has taken on many so called “lost causes” in the past in South Africa, said he did the job he was hired to do and that was get Swallows fit and prepared for United.
But he was disappointed by the lack of training facilities.
‘I’m not putting my life on the line for a game’
“I succeeded with the players despite the lack of facilities. It was like South African soccer when I first come to SA in the 1960s.
“Soccer in Swaziland is amateuristic. The facilities are poor with no proper training grounds, balls or kit.
“But I made the best of that and I enjoyed working with the players and the fans. But I was not going to put my life on the line for a game.”
With Rautmann gone Swallows have little hope of upsetting the professionally run SuperSport who will field a second string side.
United coach Gavin Hunt is taking no chances with the Absa Premiership title at stake and will rest a number of key players. Hunt is in line to guide United to their third successive premiership title and with three league matches to go, his priority is the league.
Hunt will leave his big guns, such as strikers Glen Salmon, Anthony Laffor, flying winger Daine Klate, midfielder Brent Carelse, defenders David Kannemeyer, Morgan Gould, skipper Morgan Gould and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Emile Baron, behind.
“I am not being disrespectful to the Swazi side, but I need to rotate my side at this crucial stage of the Premiership season. With three games to go I do not want to blow it.
“We will be playing on an Astroturf pitch which we are not used to and I am not prepared to risk injuries.
“We play Platinum Stars in Rustenburg next Wednesday night and as we will return from Swaziland on Monday, it would not give my
players time to rest and recuperate and travel to Rustenburg for a crucial game.
“So I have decided to hedge my bets and have my key players fresh for Stars.”
The fact is United’s only title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns, beat Stars 1-0 on Wednesday and are now three points behind United with a game in hand, which makes Hunt’s decision to rest key players the correct one.
Easy passage
And with Swallows in turmoil, United should have little trouble in easing into the next round.
Hunt stated that should the worst happen and his side lose to Swallows, he would still have the second leg at the Super Stadium in two weeks to rectify matters.
“I believe we can get past Swallows without too much trouble. Even if we lose, which I do not think will happen, we will have the option of fielding all the senior players in the second leg at home,” said Hunt.
Some of the players who will feature against Swallows are two Ugandan internationals, goalkeeper Dennis Onyango and striker Brian Umony, while Ricardo Katza is expected to captain the side and marshall the defence.
Midfielder Letladi Madubanya, who was sent off in United’s crucial 2-1 away win over Santos on Tuesday night, will miss the next two league matches and will be asked to hold the midfield together against the Swazi champions.
Orlando Pirates, who finished runners up to United in the league last season, play Gaborone United in the Botswana capital, also on Sunday in a first round, first leg clash. — Sapa