USIHLALO weRichards Bay, uJomo Biyela, uhlabe ikhwelo emaqenjini aKwaZulu-Natal (KZN) adlala kwiDStv Premiership, ukuba adlalele ukufa nokuphila uma ebhekene nalawa asezansi kwi-log ngenhloso yokuhlenga iMaritzburg United obishini elengela kulona.
UBiyela ukusho lokho ngeSonto ngesikhathi ehambele umngcwabo womdlali wezakhe uSiphamandla “S’pepe” Mtolo obuseNkobongo, KwaDukuza.
ITeam of Choice ayihleli kahle kwi-log njengoba isendaweni yesibili uma usuka emsileni nalapho isaphumelele khona ukuqoqa amaphuzu angu-21 emidlalweni engu-22.
UBiyela uthembise ukuthi iRichards Bay izobhukula uma ibhekene nanoma iliphi iqembu elisenkingeni efanayo neMaritzburg ngenhloso yokusiza leli qembu laseMgungundlovu ukuba livike izembe.
“Njengoba sekusele imidlalo embalwa ukuba kusongwe isizini, ngiyazicelela kuMaZulu FC, Lamontville Golden Arrows nakwiRoyal AM, ukuba nabo baqinise kakhulu uma bebhekene neqembu elisembangweni wezembe neMaritzburg ngenhloso yokusiza leli qembu lakithi,” kusho uBiyela.
“Kuyisifiso sami esikhulu ukuthi singamaqembu aseKZN sibe nomoya okahle wokuqinisekisa ukuthi alikho iqembu lakulesi sifundazwe elizodliwa izembe.
“Kungumsebenzi wethu sonke ukuthi sihlenge iqembu lakulesi sifundazwe futhi elingabangani bethu, iTeam of Choice,” kuqhuba lesi sikhulu.
“Kufanele siwaqaphele wonke amaqembu angase abe yingozi kwiMaritzburg bese siqinisa kakhulu sonke kuwona uma sidlala nawo ukuqinisekisa ukuthi amaphuzu siwaqoqa egcwele.
“IMaritzburg iqembu lakithi ngakho-ke kungumsebenzi wethu ukulihlenga. Ngiyawufaka lo moya kumaqembu aseKZN ukuze sihlenge leli qembu elimqoka kithina,” kusho lesi sikhulu.
Kuyona le nkulumo kuvele ukuthi ukuhamba kukaMtolo kulandelwe ukushona kukamama, kaSanele Barns, odlalela iBay.
“Isikhathi esisifikele kodwa ngoba sikhuliswe ngokukholwa, sizokwamukela lokhu okwenzekile futhi sizodlula kubo kaBarns uma sesiyodlala eMbombela ne-TS Galaxy esibhekene nayo kolandelayo weligi.
“Okuhle ukuthi bacela kwabahlanu abadlali beBay ababizelwe emaqenjini esizwe ahlukene okuyinto okufanele siyijabulele kakhulu ngoba siyiqembu elisha esigabeni esikhulu.
“Okunye, umqeqeshi wethu uVasili Manousakis, ubengekho emngcwabeni kaMtolo nje, ingoba useScotland lapho eyoqedela khona izicucu zakhe ze-Uefa A License,” kusho uBiyela.
IBay izobuyela enkundleni ngeSonto koweligi, iyobhekana neGalaxy eMbombela Stadium. Ilwela ukuqeda ihleli kwiTop 8 yize kuyisizini yayo yokuqala esigabeni esikhulu.
IMaritzburg lena ayifisela ukuthi iphunyule ezembeni uBiyela, kumele iqale izilwele ngokukwayo ukuthola amaphuzu agcwele uma idlala neKaizer Chiefs ngoMgqibelo, eHarry Gwala Stadium.