"They are not part of our plans," says coach Mutombo

With the exception of their right back, Dan Semake, all 15 Black Leopards’ players who were placed on the transfer list last week are not part of his plans for the future, said the head coach, Mr Kalambay Bibey Mutombo. He revealed this during an interview after his team’s 3-3 draw against Ajax Cape Town at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday.

Mutombo stated that Semake was put on the transfer list at his own request. When asked why he had decided to offload more than half of the players, Mutombo said that he was not interested in quantity but that he needed quality.

The much-respected coach was quick to mention that they will replace the outgoing players with quality staff. He stated that he was not part of the selection team that had recruited the unwanted players to the team, saying he found them when he joined the club at the beginning of the season.

When asked whether his recent misunderstandings with the Swaziland international, Sibusiso Dlamini, had contributed to his decision to release the player, Mutombo said that all the players who are on the transfer list do not feature in his plans.

The 16 players whose future with Lidoda Duvha is still hanging in the balance are Sibusiso Dlamini, Nhlanhla Mathebula, Eric Ramavhale, Nathaniel Maise, Johannes Diale (goalkeeper), Tsumbedzo Manamela, Aluvhavhi Matodzi, James Mayinga, Allan Kamanga, Guy Kakonde Mutshi, Samuel Ngobeni, Lucky Qaba, Gert Lewele, Alpheus Kekana, Thamsaga Tibe, and Dan Semake. Only Johannes Siale and Eric Ramavhale were part of the team that played to a 3-3 draw with Ajax Cape Town last Saturday.