It is clear from players like Koketso Mmotong, Fanyana Dhladhla and Excellent Walaza that players are starting to see that no matter how much money you will get paid for sitting on the bench or on the stands, ultimately it is not good for your career, hence we are seeing awkward movements in the transfer market with some players opting to move to what may be described as rather unfashionable teams such as Platinum Stars.
My thinking is that, if you move to Platinum Stars or even Amazulu for a guaranteed starting berth, then you are making a good move. Since the advent of the Motsepe factor in our professional league, we have all players hoping, praying and clamoring to play for Mamelodi Sundowns, with little regard of their playing prospects at the team.
We have seen agents using the Motsepe factor to drive up market prices of players and we seem to have reached a plateau now. We have also seen players continue to sign for a team like Pirates even when they had almost 50 players, this always seemed to make temporary financial sense and very little career sense.
There have been players who have flatly refused to be drawn into this quagmire of earning high while playing low, Franklin Cale is one player who has been steadfast in saying he will remain playing at Ajax rather than join the Sundowns bench, Peter Peterson flatly refused to join Orlando Pirates after assessing his chances of making the right back position.
Many players are starting to realize that actually playing for Ajax Cape Town, Supersport United or Platinum Stars is actually not a bad deal at all.
However it is important for upcoming players to make these decisions after a thorough assessment, they need to balance their prospects with the desire to challenge, in other words if a player believes that he is talented enough, and the team will suit his style and believes he can make it, why not.
Mr. Mpangase is playing and so is Rooi Mahamutsa and Wayne Matle. Another new development is the fact that more and more young players are seeking shorter contracts, which is an indication that they have ambition to move to greater things.
Older players seek longer contracts as this gives them some sense of security as they approach the end of their careers all of these point to a transformation of the transfer market. Remember: I Know it ALL.
MR KNOW IT ALL
Mr. Know it ALL’s I write what I like
