Johannesburg – Newly-acquired SuperSport United striker Kingston Nkhatha says his decision to leave Kaizer Chiefs was based on the fact that Chiefs did not offer him a suitable contract extension.
Nkhatha’s contact at Chiefs was due to come to an end in July, but Chiefs’ proposed offer of just a single year’s extension did not compare with the three-year deal offered by SuperSport.
“It was just about securing my future first, before anything else,” Nkhatha said after he was officially unveiled as a SuperSport player in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon.
“When someone comes with a three-year contract and someone comes with a one-year contract, obviously you’re going to choose the three-year deal.”
The Zimbabwean international caught Chiefs by surprise when he announced his departure from the current Premiership front-runners after two-and-a-half years at the club.
Nkhatha said his biggest concern was to ensure his future was secure.
“As a footballer, you need to know where you future lies,” he said.
“If Chiefs came with a proper contract where I can say, 'okay I’ve secured my future at Kaizer Chiefs', I would have stayed there.”
The former Black Leopards attacker denied leaving Chiefs because pressure from Amakhosi supporters, who constantly booed and jeered him, despite the team remaining unbeaten so far this season.
“The decision was not based on the ‘boo-boys’ – some will appreciate you and some won’t,” Nkhatha said.
“You can do something good today but someone will come and say, ‘no you didn’t do anything good’.”
He rubbished claims that he and Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter had drifted apart, thanking his former coach for his contribution and constant support during his time in Soweto.
“I think coach Stuart did everything good to me, he did everything to make me the way I am now,” Nkhatha said.
United announced their capture of Nkhatha earlier this month, stating that the player would join the Pretoria team at the end of his contract with Chiefs on July 1.
However, the two clubs successfully negotiated the player's early release, paving the way for the Zimbabwean striker to make his move to Matsatsantsa six months ahead of schedule.
He is now a fully-fledged SuperSport player and has begun training with his new team. – Sapa