Maritzburg United chairman blasts players: You betrayed us!

Last week, Cape Town Spurs confirmed their promotion to the PSL after avoiding a defeat away to Maritzburg United in the promotional playoff match at Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday.

Maritzburg United needed to win at all cost, but it wasn’t to be for the KZN club as they slipped to yet another disappointing result after a season to forget.

In response, chairman Farook Kadodia has questioned the commitment of some players in a damning statement released on Sunday.

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YOU CAN READ THE FULL MARITZBURG UNITED STATEMENT BELOW:

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.

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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.

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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

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