SuperSport United Chief Executive Officer Stan Matthews has admitted that he could not prevent Tashreeq Morris from joining Kaizer Chiefs as the club could not afford what Chiefs were offering.
Matthews addressed the media in Durban before his side’s 2-1 loss to AmaZulu where he admitted that the club could have probably been far if they didn’t sell their best players in the past though in the same breath said they don’t believe in blocking players’ futures especially when they cannot meet offers from elsewhere.
This was in reference to Morris who joined Chiefs in the January transfer with Matthews saying besides not being able to match Amakhosi’s offer, he wouldn’t want to have a miserable player in camp due to something that could have been avoided.
“Tashreeq Morris came at the age of 31 and said ‘Kaizer Chiefs want me and this is what they have offered me’, and I couldn’t offer him half of what they offered him,” said Matthews, as per Ayanda Nyuswa.
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“So, should I have a miserable Tashreeq who resents the fact that he is somewhere because he could have been earning more than double elsewhere?
“He was out of contract [when he signed for United], so you look at the situation and say okay ‘how can I benefit the club, how can I benefit the team’.
“So, here’s a 31-year-old who I signed on a short-term contract, and we’ve got other number 9s like [Samir] Nurkovic and Bradley [Grobler].
“But I don’t have something like [Christian] Saile, who can get behind the defense, who can break the line, who’s got that added pace which Nurkovic and Bradley do not have.
“So, for me I’ve got to be practical. Now Morris, Bradley and Nurkovic together all three none of them had pace so I still got two 9s and now I’ve got someone who can go.”
