Former Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki’s manager Thato Matuka says they are still considering their options after the SA Football Association (Safa) formally served them with a letter, terminating Ntseki's contract with just under two years left on it.
Ntseki was sacked following the senior national team's failure to qualify for next year's Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, but as he still had up to January 2023 left in his deal, he has a right for compensation.
Matuka said they are still studying the letter from Safa and will decide what to do thereafter.
“I don’t think the matter is automatic as running to court or to the CCMA. The association communicated with us about the termination,” Matuka told Sowetan.
“If we recall, I think during the press conference [where Ntseki's sacking was announced on March 31], it was said on record that they had not engaged us. They have since spoken to us.
“We received the letter and we are busy with consultations. We will take it from there.”
Asked if they will agree with what Safa are prepared to compensate the coach with, Matuka said he won't discuss that in public.
“Unfortunately, I’m restricted to comment... that’s in the letter, as you know in any agreement, there is a confidentiality clause, I won’t say anything for now,” he said.
"We will get advice from our legal team and we will take it from there.”
It is unclear how much Ntseki will claim from the association, but the last time Safa fired a coach, Pitso Mosimane in 2012, they had to part with nearly R6m, excluding legal fees.
Ntseki's dismissal meant he's ushered into unemployment for the first time in many years after serving in the Safa structures as a junior coach before being promoted to the national team as Stuart Baxter's assistant in 2017. Despite his relative inexperience, he took over from Baxter two years later but the project crashed with the elimination by Sudan. Nevertheless, Matuka is hopeful that Ntseki will find a job soon, but that their focus now is to close the chapter first with Safa.
“Look, I will be honest. The man is a professional football coach, so we need to ultimately look beyond Bafana and see where we can place him.
“We need to find him home, but as we speak, nothing is concrete because we are dealing with the matter in hand.
“I believe he will get something. We are just hoping to finalise this matter as quickly as possible so that both parties can move on with their lives. I’m hoping by Wednesday, we should have direction.”
SowetanLIVE
Ex-Bafana coach's manager confirms they received termination letter
Ntseki awaits settlement, to look for a job
Journalist
Image: Gallo Images
Former Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki’s manager Thato Matuka says they are still considering their options after the SA Football Association (Safa) formally served them with a letter, terminating Ntseki's contract with just under two years left on it.
Ntseki was sacked following the senior national team's failure to qualify for next year's Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, but as he still had up to January 2023 left in his deal, he has a right for compensation.
Matuka said they are still studying the letter from Safa and will decide what to do thereafter.
“I don’t think the matter is automatic as running to court or to the CCMA. The association communicated with us about the termination,” Matuka told Sowetan.
“If we recall, I think during the press conference [where Ntseki's sacking was announced on March 31], it was said on record that they had not engaged us. They have since spoken to us.
“We received the letter and we are busy with consultations. We will take it from there.”
Asked if they will agree with what Safa are prepared to compensate the coach with, Matuka said he won't discuss that in public.
“Unfortunately, I’m restricted to comment... that’s in the letter, as you know in any agreement, there is a confidentiality clause, I won’t say anything for now,” he said.
"We will get advice from our legal team and we will take it from there.”
It is unclear how much Ntseki will claim from the association, but the last time Safa fired a coach, Pitso Mosimane in 2012, they had to part with nearly R6m, excluding legal fees.
Ntseki's dismissal meant he's ushered into unemployment for the first time in many years after serving in the Safa structures as a junior coach before being promoted to the national team as Stuart Baxter's assistant in 2017. Despite his relative inexperience, he took over from Baxter two years later but the project crashed with the elimination by Sudan. Nevertheless, Matuka is hopeful that Ntseki will find a job soon, but that their focus now is to close the chapter first with Safa.
“Look, I will be honest. The man is a professional football coach, so we need to ultimately look beyond Bafana and see where we can place him.
“We need to find him home, but as we speak, nothing is concrete because we are dealing with the matter in hand.
“I believe he will get something. We are just hoping to finalise this matter as quickly as possible so that both parties can move on with their lives. I’m hoping by Wednesday, we should have direction.”
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