He who pays the piper calls the tune
There is no denying that football has undergone immense commercialisation over the past few decades.
Football clubs have grown as institutions, even listing on stock exchanges, which simply means if you can’t financially sustain the running of the club, get out of the hot kitchen.
Players have made a lot of money and club owners have made windfalls either directly or indirectly from investments.
So, it’s not surprising that financially struggling Free Statebased PSL club Bloemfontein Celtic is in the news, again. Current owner Max Tshabalala is battling to keep the club afloat, for the umpteeth time since 2018.
The whole saga of the club being on the verge of changing hands is nauseating, to say the least. Last year, it was Ajax Cape Town that was on the brink of purchasing Celtic’s top-flight status, but that deal fell by the way side.
Fast-forward to 2020, the conversation is at its peak, again. This time the move was initiated by legal eagle and National First Division club TS Galaxy owner Tim Sukazi, whose lower league outfit is staring at relegation.
Sukazi apparently wants to redeem himself by selling his lower-rung club for the top-flight Premiership Celtic.
Remarkably, the sale signs come at a time when the team has had a positive campaign, despite numerous behind-thescenes troubles of players threatening to go on strike over unpaid wages. Yes, the club has come through the ranks.
The current Coronavirus-hit season has been great as the players are fighting to finish in the top eight, and could even find their club among the top four on the PSL log.
The people of Mangaung, hell no, the people of the Free State, love Phunya Sele Sele and that is what separates Siwelele from the rest. It will be a disservice to the people of that city and indeed the province, to see the club go.
But football being a business, counts more than sentiments. Pity the supporters have no financial muscle to take over the institution.
As much as there might be wheeling and dealing behind the scenes, at least the supporters must be kept abreast about the future of the club. I hope KwaZulu-Natal businessman Lebo Mokoena gets to raise the asking price, said to be in the region of R40-million.
Mokoena has the supporters’ backing and he, in turn, has the best interest of Celtic at heart. We’ve witnessed Petrus Molemela Stadium packed to capacity whenever the team is in action, notwithstanding the travelling supporters, singing at the top of their voices as they dance in their green and white regalia.
As much as it would be a sad day to see the Phunya Sele Sele culture and tradition die, the bottom line is: he who pays the piper calls the tune.
