The exclusion of former Bloemfontein Celtic star Thiyekile 'Ace' Gulwa from the legends' team that will take on Kaizer Chiefs Legends in a Toyota Cup curtain raiser this weekend has given rise to accusations of favouritism and nepotism.
Amakhosi will take on Young Africans of Tanzania in the inaugural edition of the pre-season tournament, with the two sides having met in a pre-season friendly this time last year, albeit in Tanzania.
To add spice to the occasion, a legends team from the Soweto giants will do battle with their Celtic counterparts in an exhibition match at 12:00, with the participating ex-players from both sides set to earn an appearance fee for their efforts.
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After the release of the Siwelele legends' squad, one exclusion that stood out like a sore thumb was that of erstwhile midfield kingpin Gulwa, with some players who have spent far less time than him donning the Celtic jersey getting the nod, sparking outrage on social media.
To underline his legendary status, the Botshabelo native was part of the South African national U23 squad that famously beat Brazil 3-1 in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Speaking exclusively to KickOff, the 45-year-old admits he was as baffled as the general public about his omission for Sunday's proceedings, suggesting there could have been underhand tactics at play by those tasked with selecting the Celtic squad.
"They said it was a mistake on their side. I believe it is the reaction from the public and on social media that made them come back to me. They made up some excuse, saying the list that had been distributed was not the right one. So, I can confirm that I am now in. The supporters have been asking about me and saying, 'Where is Ace?' So, they said it was a mistake," explains Gulwa.
"I'm feeling bad [about the initial exclusion]. It says to me maybe some people don't see you the way other people see you. When you are selecting a team, we need to know what it is that you are looking at. Let's say you are selecting a team of legends, what are the things that you check? It tells me whatever they were looking for, they didn't see it in me.
"You see some of the people selected and you ask yourself what has this person done for the team? You see, this thing, it depends who your friends are. Even now, a lot of people have been asking, 'Why are certain legends not selected?'
"For example, [Daniel] Matsau, he came on loan for one season at Celtic and then he left. How do you call that person a legend [of the team]?"
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Asked who had called him to deliver the news of his inclusion, he said: "It's David Modise. I believe it's him and a few other guys who were responsible for selecting the team."
This website could not get hold of Modise for comment as his phone rang unanswered from Thursday afternoon right up to Friday morning. We will, however, endeavour to bring you his side of the story.