Although his contract with the club runs out next year, Phiri who has had a troubled time at the Gabane side has decided to quit. "I have made up my mind. I considered this decision seriously. There is no way I am going back there. I would rather quit football," he said. Although the stocky and exciting midfielder could not dwell much on what happened, he said the past two seasons have not been his best in football. "I know that I did not play the best football for the past two seasons but just when I could see that I was regaining my form, I got suspended. Football has not treated me the way I wanted. I have realised that loyalty does not pay. You become loyal to a team and in the end you have nothing to show for it," he said. Phiri together with other players like Thapelo Sethebethe and Khumo Motlhabane were suspended by Santos in the middle of last season. Phiri's three-month suspension comes to an end on September 19. He said the suspension affected him so much that he thought of quitting football. "I started viewing football negatively. I lost interest in football completely. I could not even watch the remaining league games and could not even play Sunday soccer which I used to participate in," he told Mmegi Sport. He said that football officials tend to forget that the game is about players. "Sponsors pump money in to football because of players, supporters go to the stadiums to watch their players and talent scouts attend games because of players," he stressed. Phiri has been linked with a move to Rollers though he said so far, he has not received a concrete offer from any club. "It is not true that I have signed for Rollers. I still have a contract with Santos but it is not a secret that I want to move. I am ready to play for any team that offers me an opportunity to return to the sport that I enjoy most," he added.
Phiri is currently training on his own to keep fit."I just want to forget about my past two seasons at Santos and play football.I am also eager to regain my place in the national team and perhaps realise my dream of playing outside the country," he said. He added that he has been with Santos for a long time and he needs new challenges. He stated that perhaps he had reached a comfort zone, which is not good for him. Phiri is one of the longest-serving players at Santos.He was among the players who came through the ranks of Matshidiso Kowa's Flamengo Desportos around 1994. Phiri said Kowa understands his decision to leave Santos.In 2002, Phiri played in Finland for a season before returning to Botswana. He then joined Orlando Pirates juniors before returning to play for Santos.
