“We Felt Betrayed”: Maritzburg Utd Chairman Accuses Players of Sabotaging Side

“We Felt Betrayed”: Maritzburg Utd Chairman Accuses Players of Sabotaging Side

Byron Pillay
updated at June 19, 2023 at 3:53 PM
  • Farook Kadodia had laid into his players after Maritzburg United were relegated last season
  • The Team of Choice competed in South Africa's top flight for the past 15 years before they were relegated
  • The Maritzburg United chairman blamed some of the players for betraying the club during the season

Farook Kadodia is not holding back regarding his assessment of the past season.

The Maritzburg United chairman isn't happy with the team's performance, even blaming some players for 'betraying the club.' Maritzburg United competed in the DStv Premiership, but finished 15th on the league table.

Casric Stars, Maritzburg United, Sport, South Africa, World, Cape Town Spurs, Promotion, Relegation, Farook Kadodia
Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia is not happy with some of the players after the team were relegated from the DStv Premiership. Image: @RyanJCooper8
Source: Twitter

The poor showing meant they were forced into the Promotion Playoffs alongside Casric Stars and Cape Town City.

As noted by News24, United finished second behind Spurs, and were relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship. It ended a 15-year stay in the top flight of South African football.

Reflecting on the relegation and the season that has passed, Kadodia first apologised to supporters, stakeholders and board members in a special club statement.

"It was a moment of disappointment, as the inability to score even a single goal came at a significant financial cost of R50 million," he said, referencing that they would be losing out on big money due to no longer playing in the Premiership.

Kadodia then turned his attention to the players, insinuating that some hindered the club, despite being paid to do a job.

"We felt betrayed by a few individuals whose questionable concessions of goals during the critical stages of our battle for survival proved detrimental.
"It is disheartening to realise that you unwittingly assisted those who hindered our progress, even as the club diligently fulfilled its obligation to honour your contracts and provide timely salary payments," he said.

He added that they were given a chance to redeem themselves during the playoffs, but the ulterior motives of some individuals derailed those plans.

How promotion and relegation works

Sports Brief also explained how DStv Premiership promotion and relegation work as the fight for the final place next season continued.

With the mini-tournament set to decide who secures the final spot in the standings, it remained anyone's guess which team would win.

This past season Maritzburg United, Cape Town Spurs and Casric Stars competed in the promotion playoffs.

Authors
Byron Pillay photo
Byron Pillay
Byron Pillay is a sports writer and Head of the Department at Sports Brief (joined in 2022) with over 10 years of experience in community journalism and a degree in journalism from Caxton's Cadet School.
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South AfricaDStv Premiership