Leemisa Thuseho

AFTER helping the team to win Matekane Group of Companies (MGC) Soccer Spectacular, Lifofane coach Thomas Tshabalala has resigned accusing his employers of ignoring his advice in player transfers, the Sunday Express can reveal.

Tshabalala informed the team about his decision to resign on Friday.

The South African also confirmed to the Sunday Express on Friday that he had resigned although he remained tightlipped about his next destination.

“Yes, I have resigned… I wrote the team a phone message and even called the team manager,” Tshabalala said.

“I couldn’t write an email because I don’t have their email.”

He cited his continuous disagreements with the management regarding player transfers.

He accused the management of refusing to take his advice before releasing and signing players and says the decisions were making his coaching job difficult.

“I decided to resign after discovering that we always fight with the management when it comes to signing of players.

“I would recommend a player based on what the team needed but the management would decide to sign players of its choice only to find that the new signings were not responding to the team’s needs.

“For example, we need to reinforce our attacking department but the management is busy brining in midfielders,” Tshabalala said.

Asked what his next destination was, Tshabalala said he was jobless and was not in contact with any potential suitors. He however, said he would be happy to find a cub in the Econet Premier League.

Having been appointed head coach of the Butha-Buthe outfit in mid-February, Tshabalala went on to win the MGC Top 4 trophy, beating Matlama FC on penalties in the final after brushing aside Linare FC in the semi-final. He also helped the team finish the season in sixth in its first campaign in the top-flight.

Tshabalala previously coached ABC Motsepe League side Amavarara FC at the beginning of the 2019/20 season but left the club in November after securing a place in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup for the first time in their history.

Contacted for comment, Lifofane general manager Letšolo Maliehe said they were still waiting for Tshabalala’s resignation letter.

“When we had an employment contract therefore, I think we should have the resignation on paper. I do not think a person can just wake-up and make a call saying that he is resigning,” Maliehe said.