The hullabaloo over Kaizer Chiefs’ decision to transfer and/or terminate the contracts of as many as 20 players earlier this week was simply the first entry into the silly season column. Say hello to agents - or intermediaries, as world governing body Fifa would like them to be known as these days. It’s their turn to step into the limelight.
It has only been a little over a week since the conclusion of the 2015/16 Premier Soccer League season, and these negotiators - some of them ruthless and down-right cunning - have begun wheeling and dealing with clubs desperate to make sure the next campaign is a massive improvement on the previous one.
Amakhosi are second to none in that category and have played into the hands of agents in communicating their intention to beef up the squad. They finished a forgettable fifth place in the Absa Premiership, hardly putting up a fight in their title defence as Mamelodi Sundowns clinched the championship with two games to spare and finishing an incredible 25 points above Chiefs. It’s no surprise there was a massive clear-out of mostly fringe players at Naturena this week, one that could apparently leave them vulnerable to litigation with several players deemed surplus to requirements up in arms in what they see as an unfair dismissal. But that is an ongoing story.
The agents will no doubt be looking at Chiefs’ situation and licking their lips in glee. Why not? There’ s plenty of money to be made, whether it be finding new clubs for their out-of-favour clients or getting fresh faces for a team in desperate need of some. It’s the nature of the beast because Chiefs are willing sellers and these player representatives have to go out in the hunt for willing buyers.
In the meantime, expect some sensational stories to be spun by these men - and a few women who are making a name for themselves in a male-dominated industry as they learn the tricks of the trade in the transfer market. Silly season, the period from now until August 31 when players all over the world move from one club to another is one of the worst times for a football reporter to cover. You just never know who is telling the truth, and half the time some of these agents prefer to remain faceless. The aim, generally, is to play clubs against each other to see who falls into the trap first. A player can enjoy one fruitful season following years in the doldrums, and then suddenly demands ridiculous sums of money when offered a new deal.
Have you heard how local coaches moan that PSL players are overpriced? This is why Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung and coach Steve Komphela are about to get a fresh dose of the inflated market, as some have termed it in years gone by. Motaung is no stranger to this way of life, having been caught in the middle of it all as recently as this time last year. Shortly after winning the Premier League title for a second time in three seasons under Stuart Baxter, three players, who were an integral part of that winning combination, goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, defender and captain Tefu Mashamaite and winger and top scorer Mandla Masango, decided it was the right time to cash in their contracts up for renewal.
Khune, who was apparently promised a move abroad by his then European-based agent Dan Lichman, made ‘excessive’ demands - akin to holding Chiefs to ransom according to Motaung - during negotiations to try to extend his stay at the club. Ditto Mashamaite, who felt he deserved compensation for a stellar season and marshalling a defence that was the most frugal as far as conceding goals that season. Masango took it to new heights by demanding a 100 percent salary hike. His agent, Walter Mokoena, dumped him as a result. He felt Masango was sending the wrong message. There are some good ones out there.
This off-season could be worse than that nightmare for Motaung, who now has to act quickly to give Komphela all the ammunition he requires to succeed at Chiefs in his second year in charge. Last year, Chiefs announced a whopping eight signings, including the return of Lucky Baloyi from a loan spell at Moroka Swallows. This week, with the exception of Baloyi, Camaldine Abraw and Daniel Cardoso, everyone who arrived 12 months ago has been shown the door. - The Star
*Follow me on Twitter @superjourno