In the latest edition of Negotiating Behind The Scenes, former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Brent Carelse remembers the day he signed for the DStv Premiership giants in the last minutes of the transfer window.
Who I signed for?
"Mamelodi Sundowns. It happened over a week. It was touch and go because at the same time, I was negotiating with Ajax Cape Town for a new deal.
"Gordon Igesund was already on the other side and he was trying to convince me to join him at Sundowns.
"Ajax gave me a better offer than Sundowns, but at the same time, I wanted to compete with the best. The difference was about R5000, but Gordon convinced me that the more I played at Sundowns the more there would be incentives. It made perfect sense."
How did you find out?
"From John Comitis. He was open to me even though we were negotiating for a new deal."
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Where did you meet?
"We met over the phone (laughs). Every time after the training session I'd go to my agent's office, it was the last week of the transfer window."
Who was there?
"Jose Ferreira and also another guy who was the CEO at Sundowns at the time.
"The day I signed with Sundowns it was the last day of the transfer window, and our coach at Ajax Muhsin Ertugral took us to the beach to train there, and 30 minutes into the training session the Ajax driver came to fetch me and he took me straight to the airport.
"I only signed when I got to Joburg. So I signed all my documents at the PSL offices still wearing the Ajax training kit (laughs), a t-shirt, and a pair of shorts. It was 5 p.m. I only had my passport with me."
What surprised you?
"Ajax allowed me to join Sundowns while I was negotiating with them. I had six months left on my Ajax contract. Sundowns paid about R1 million for my services."
Did you get what you wanted?
"Everything. More than what I expected."
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Did you see out the contract?
"No, I didn't. I think I signed for three years plus one. Was supposed to stay there for four years, but only spent a year and a half.
"When Gordon left Trott Moloto told me they were not going to use me that much, they swapped me with SuperSport United duo Siboniso Gaxa and Katlego Mphela."
What you would change?
"If I knew the reason I was being sent to SuperSport was that they wanted Mphela and Gaxa I would have not made the deal go through. They should have been straightforward with me."