Motlakase bans players from using cell-phones

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Wednesday March 24, 2010 00:00

 

One senior player, speaking on condition of anonymity, said things got bad after they were whipped 7-0 by Township Rollers in a league match late last month.

'After we lost to Rollers, we were warned against chatting to women in public, as they (management) felt we had lost because of women,' he said.

'We were also told not to bring cell-phones to pre-match camps but that does not make sense because we need to communicate with our families while in camp. I think if things continue like this, most players will leave the club at the end of the season,' he added.

Another player said he felt management came up with strict disciplinary measures because of the huge amount of money spent on the team. 'Maybe they feel they are spending too much money on us, hence they should control our lives on and off the field. But they must understand that we have our lives to live outside football,' said the dejected player.

Motlakase chairman Mangisi Segadimo confirmed they have barred players from carrying cell-phones to camp ahead of games but professed ignorance over the ban on talking to women in public.

'I don't know about the issue about girls, but we proposed that the players stop using phones during camp because some would phone as late as 3am, which is not good when one is preparing for a game,' Segadimo said.

One player accused coach Madinda Ndlovu of insulting players. 'I have played under so many coaches but I have never heard a coach insult my mother. The environment is no longer good at the club. We want to play and help the team maintain its Premier League status but we need things to be done properly,' said the player.

Two players are reported to have been chased from camp after they refused to hand their cellphones to the club.

It is said that Ndlovu called Mangisi and the chairman told the coach to order the players out of camp.

Ndlovu denied that he insults players, insisting that he has a good working relationship with the players.

But he admitted that some players were chased away from camp last week because they refused to hand their cellphones to the management.