Taariq Fielies has confirmed that he asked to leave Cape Town City to join AmaZulu.
Fielies said he had had enough of playing for the club and requested to leave to experience life in another team.
For Fielies to ask to leave City was also confirmed by coach Eric Tinkler when his side beat Richards Bay early this month and there was a talk that he was proving to be troublesome in the side.
It left the former Orlando Pirates coach hurt to see Fielies leave, confirming that he handed him a Player of the Season in the last two campaigns and Tinkler played an influential part in that to happen.
“I think every footballer needs different challenges,” said Fielies when asked why he joined AmaZulu which the club is kind of similar in size to Cape Town City.
“Always wants to test things with different teams. I think it came about when I spent a couple of seasons with Cape Town City, it was too long in my comfort zone and I just needed the time for a new challenge and AmaZulu was a good choice for me.”
Tinkler revealed Fielies submitted a transfer letter to leave the club and it was when AmaZulu jumped at the opportunity to sign him.
Fielies, who won the MTN8 with City in the 2018/19 season, said he has no problem with Tinkler and revealed he indeed requested to leave the club.
According to iDiski Times sources, Fielies was not happy with the salary package that he was getting at the club considering that he was a senior player.
“To a certain point I did request to leave,” said Fielies.
“(But) me and coach Eric – we still have a good relationship and unfortunately things didn’t go, I would say, sideways, whatever. But we still have a good relationship.”
Fielies, who joined Usuthu before the transfer window was slammed shut in September, has hit the ground running for the Durban club, scooping the man of the match award in his first game against Polokwane City and also scoring a vital goal that knocked Kaizer Chiefs out of the Carling Knockout in the first round.
It was a historical victory for Usuthu as they won for the first time against Chiefs in a cup competition at FNB Stadium in the PSL era, leading to the sacking of coach Molefi Ntseki.
“It is a start everyone looks forward to,” said Fielies. “It is unfortunate that I have a minor setback with an injury. But the staff are working on me, I’m working on myself, and I will be back before you know it.”
Fielies will miss the AmaZulu game when they host Stellenbosch FC at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (15:30) due to an injury.
