Maritzburg United chairperson Farook Kadodia has released a scathing statement saying the club feel betrayed by certain players while criticising their defensive tactics after being relegated at a cost of R50 million.
The Team of Choice failed to save their DStv Premiership status after being pipped by Cape Town Spurs in a three-way promotion/relegation playoff.
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Kadodia now claims that relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship has costed his side R50 million while also questioning head coach Fadlu Davids' "defensive tactics".
The Maritzburg owner saved his most scathing comments for certain players who he said the club feel betrayed by.
Full statement
To all the valued supporters and stakeholders of our esteemed team, Wednesday, the 14th of June, will forever be remembered as a somber night in our football history, spanning two decades.
It was an evening when, despite the presence of 12,000 passionate fans at our renowned Harry Gwala Stadium, which had been hailed as an impenetrable fortress for visiting teams until this season, we regrettably succumbed to the despairing fate of relegation.
To the members of the board, it was a moment of disappointment, as the inability to score even a single goal came at a significant financial cost of R50 million.
To our city, over the course of two decades, we had strived to provide captivating entertainment that brought together diverse cultures with love and passion. Unfortunately, we fell short in delivering at the crucial moment.
To the players, we felt betrayed by a few individuals whose questionable concessions of goals during the critical stages of our battle for survival proved detrimental. The absence of an attacking approach in search of a winning goal was overshadowed by unappealing defensive tactics.
It is disheartening to realize that you unwittingly assisted those who hindered our progress, even as the club diligently fulfilled its obligation to honor your contracts and provide timely salary payments.
This was particularly challenging as reports surfaced of numerous teams facing their own difficulties in meeting payroll obligations. Undoubtedly, this season presented us with a multitude of obstacles, yet we failed to rise to the occasion as we had consistently done, especially in the previous playoff and our resilient fight against Jomo Cosmos in 2016.
Despite being given a chance to redeem ourselves in the playoff and receiving what could be considered a divine intervention for the club, some individuals had alternative motives that diverted us from our path.
However, it is imperative that we leave the past behind us.
Let us remain united and exhibit unwavering determination to reclaim our rightful place in the football hierarchy.
Thank you, Farook Kadodia
Chairman
It is not the first time that Maritzburg faced a relegation fight with the club often engulfed in a battle to remain within the top-flight in recent years.
The club have also faced criticism for regularly selling its best stars such as Siphesihle Ndlovu, Fortune Makaringe, Richard Ofori, Lebohang Maboe, Thabiso Kutumela and Rushine De Reuck, to name a few.
2021/22 - 12th
2020/21 - 13th
2019/20 - 7th
2018/19 - 15th (promotion/relegation winners)
2017/18 - 4th
2016/17 - 7th
2015/16 - 14th
2014/15 - 8th
The club seem to have now paid a costly price for its constant player sales and recruitment strategy.
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