CAPE TOWN – Maritzburg United chairman Farouk Kadodia wasn’t prepared to fully vent his frustration about the timing of the Barcelona-Mamelodi Sundowns friendly at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday, but it was clear he wasn’t too happy the game was taking some of the gloss off Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final.
The final will be contested between Maritzburg United and Free State Stars at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
The Kwazulu-Natal side’s delegation arrived in the Mother City on Monday morning and it included the two Capetonians, head coach Fadlu Davids and captain and central defender Bevan Fransman.
They’re here... @MaritzburgUtd arrive in City for Nedbank final pic.twitter.com/p1Ey6QRbRs
— Rodney Reiners (@Reinerss11) May 14, 2018
One of the first questions posed to Kadodia was about the Sundowns friendly against Barcelona, which was given the go-ahead by the PSL.
In 2013, though, the PSL vetoed a friendly between Ajax Cape Town and English giants Liverpool because it was in the same week as the Nedbank Cup final. At the time, the PSL said the proposed Liverpool friendly competed with PSL events and its sponsors. But not now, apparently.
“I have my reservations about the game,” said Kadodia, “but I cannot say too much. This is the first time the final is in Cape Town and it would have been hoped that the stakeholders would have given the decision a bit more thought.”
Interview time with @MaritzburgUtd ahead of Nedbnk final pic.twitter.com/PEaUC5377x
— Rodney Reiners (@Reinerss11) May 14, 2018
Kadodia, though, explained the reason behind Maritzburg arriving in the Cape five days before the final.
“We want the Cape fans to rally behind our team,” said the club chairman.
“We have a rich history as a club, we are one of the old Federation clubs still around, we have Capetonians like the coach (Davids) and the captain (Fransman) in the squad. This is an historic visit for us and we want to market ourselves to the people of the Cape.
"In addition, we have 12 buses travelling down from Maritzburg and many others flying down to the Cape to support the team.”
@Reinerss11
IOL Sport