Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has broken his silence on why the club allowed players like Ashley du Preez, Deano Van Rooyen, and Iqraam Rayners leave, saying they cannot stand in the way of players’ childhood wishes.
Stellies have lost an average of two key players in each and every transfer window. Three seasons ago, du Preez and Zitha Kwinika joined Kaizer Chiefs, and last season Junior Mendieta joined Mamelodi Sundowns, while Olwethu Makhanya made the switch to the Major League Soccer in the USA to join Philadelphia FC.
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This season, Stellies lost their two key players – Iqraam Rayners who joined Sundowns after his release clause was triggered, and Van Rooyen to Pirates.
Speaking to Thabiso Mosia on Radio2000’s Game On show, Barker explained that they can’t stand in players’ way of fulfilling their dreams of playing for their childhood clubs and earning more money.
“When you see players like Ashley du Preez, Deano Van Rooyen from Idas Valley, from Stellenbosch that opportunity to go to some of the clubs they supported as young kids and Deano was a boyhood fan of Pirates for example,” Barker said.
“We don’t want to stand in the way of players that have the dream. They were with us, we let them go. I often believe that they will come back.
“Makhanya, he got a chance to go to the MLS, earn 10 times more money. Those are the situations we don’t want to stand in players’ way.
“But there many other players that other clubs want from us, certain players we believe it’s not the right time, it’s not the right opportunity right now, and then we don’t let them go. With Rayners, it was an exit clause in his contract that was triggered so there was nothing we could do once the buyout clause was triggered by Sundowns,” he added.
Barker is gearing up his charges for the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round second leg against Nsingizini Hotspurs after they ran out comfortable 3-0 victors in the first leg at Moses Mabhida Stadium last weekend.
