Kickoff (Cape Town)
8 January 2009
Patrice Motsepe is sweeping Chloorkop clean. The long-suffering Mamelodi Sundowns chairman first put 'bad boy' Mbulelo Mabizela up for transfer and has now told star striker Lerato Chabangu he can pack his bags and go as well.
Chabangu, whose contract with the Brazilians is set to expire in June, signed a pre-contract with SuperSport United yesterday.
Despite Chabangu's agent Glyn Binkin saying they player would honour the remainder of his contract and give his best until his deal ends, the Brazilians now say they are no longer interested in using him.
With Motsepe's stated expectation that he wants to see Sundowns top the log at the end of the season, it is obvious that he is now demanding total commitment and discipline for the top dollar that he is paying.
The big question now is, what does he have in store for coach Henri Michel, who incurred the mining billionaire's wrath by snubbing a post-match press conference late last year after losing 1-0 to Ajax Cape Town?
Michel's behaviour did not go down well with Motsepe, who promised that the club would take disciplinary action against the Frenchman.
Speculation was rife just before Christmas that Michel would soon be heading to north Africa when Mohammed Amer, chairman of Cairo giants Zamalek, revealed that they were close to finalising talks with the former France, Morocco and Ivory Coast manager.
"Michel asked us to pay a release clause in his contract with Sundowns, but we turned down his request," Amer told the FilGoal website.
Michel has returned from his holiday in Lebanon and taken up the reins again, but one can only wonder whether his actions of bringing the club into disrepute and disappointing Motsepe has not left the axe still hanging over his head.
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