Fadlu David to leave relegated Maritzburg United after criticism from club chairperson

FILE - Fadlu Davids is reportedly keen to join Josef Zinnbauer at Raja Casablanca. Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix

FILE - Fadlu Davids is reportedly keen to join Josef Zinnbauer at Raja Casablanca. Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix

Published Jun 19, 2023

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Johannesburg — Maritzburg United chairperson Farook Kadodia seems to have all but finally wrapped his head around their relegation from the DStv Premiership.

Maritzburg were relegated last week after finishing second in the PSL promotion/relegation playoffs.

Since then, though, a state of chaos has erupted at the club, with Kadodia issuing a long letter on Sunday night, accusing the players of betrayal, saying “they conceded questionable goals in the playoffs”.

As if that wasn't enough. The clear-out campaign got underway on Monday afternoon, with Kadodia reportedly sending coach Fadlu Davids and his backroom staff letters of contract terminations, according to reports.

The veteran administrator, though, only hinted on Marawa Sports Worldwide with Robert Marawa on Monday night that they’ll “most likely” part ways with the club’s technical team.

This also comes after reports that Davids held training sessions ahead of the playoffs via Zoom after attending a coaching workshop in Europe. A feat that Kadodia touched on.

“He had to go for this coaching course, there was no discussion about this until a certain point. I think we'll decide what to do and part ways with our technical team,” Kadodia said.

“We'll have to make new recruitment. In the next two days, we will know where we will be. We'll have to put the budget down and see who's available out there.”

But where will the new coaches coach — in the Premiership or NFD, given that there has been a trend of clubs entering the top flight by buying PSL statuses?

Well, Kadodia has conceded that he doesn’t have the whooping R60 million to splash out for a top-flight status come next season.

"R60m in this economy is out of my reach. We've had the same amount of income from the league for years,” said Kadodi whose club survived relegation twice in the last eight years.

“Our target was to grow the brand, but unfortunately, we had a very tight road. I gotta have that confidence to make sure that I can go out there to fight.

“In this kind of league, you need to be sure you have people that can bring results.”

Meanwhile, Davids is not expected to be without a job for too long as he is reportedly keen to join Josef Zinnbauer — the former Orlando Pirates coach he worked under from December 2019 to August 2021 — at Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca.

@Mihlalibaleka

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