How a cricket match led to Makola’s firing at Cape Town City

Mpho Makola has opened up about his firing from Cape Town City where he was one of the team’s key players. 

The 36-year-old Makola was released by City in the January transfer window. He still had six months plus an option to extend his deal. 

He says the news caught him by surprise as he felt he was among the top performers at the team. 

And while City gave Makola an official reason as that he was not part of the plan going forward as the team were rebuilding with younger players, he suspects something else. 

“It caught me by surprise, on the last day of the window period,” Makola said as quoted by SABC Sport. 

“I got a call to come to the office, where I found the chairman (John Comitis) and the coach (Eric Tinkler)/ A I already knew what was going to happen.” 

Makola says the City players boycotted training and demanded answers when they heard he had been released.

“We had a good relationship. And when the news came out that I was leaving the team, the guys, led by captain Thami Mkhize, stopped training and asked for an explanation.

Makola says failing to attend a cricket match sealed his fate

“I think everything changed when I didn’t attend the cricket match. I couldn’t attend because I had a meeting with my lawyer and I think everything switched after that with the coach.”

Makola adds: “I won’t say the chairman. Tinkler took me out of the 18-man team. And when I asked why he told me about the cricket match I did not attend. 

“I was puzzled by it because I am here to play football, not cricket. And I have been doing my job on the pitch.” 

He said the explanation he got was that the team were being rebuilt with young players. 

And since the team would not qualify for Caf competitions, he was no longer needed. 

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“But in my head, I was thinking ‘okay, I am good enough for Caf, but not good enough for PSL. Is that what you are saying?’ 

“They couldn’t show me my stats, because they are probably still the highest in the team,” added Makola.