Frustrated SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews has addressed rumours linking Sipho Mbule with a move to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Matthews chatted in a tell-all interview with iDiski Times senior writer Velile Mnyandu and appeared fed up with reports saying his young star could be snapped up on a pre-contract.
He even went one step further and insisted that any club who has signed a deal with Mbule will be taken to FIFA.
“With regards to Mbule, to be honest it is difficult for me to respond in a way that doesn’t sound annoyed, because the journalist that wrote the story, for me, is irresponsible,” Matthews told Mnyandu.
“Actually he should be censored and be dealt with because you just can’t make up any story you like and put it in a newspaper. It is very disappointing that this is what football journalism has become.
“There is no truth to what they are saying and Sipho still has three years with us as a club on his contract, so there is no one who can sign a pre-contract with Mbule. Anyone who can sign a contract with Mbule is asking to be banned by FIFA.
“So the journalist who says Sundowns have signed a pre-contract with Mbule must show the proof where Mbule signed, show us where Mbule’s signature is then we can deal with it.
“I know there is no proof because I have an exceptional relationship with Sundowns, I have sold more players to Sundowns than anybody else in my 22 years at the club, there is no way they can do such a thing.”
Matthews, though, did admit that he had talks with Downs over the potential transfer of Mbule, stating that SuperSport will not make a decision on his future until after the Olympics.
“Sundowns have enquired about Mbule to me, they have come through the front door and I have spoken to them face-to-face. They know my position and the club’s position on it,” he added.
“Those talks have taken place between myself and Sundowns, they have taken place with the player’s representatives.
“We have also discussed not only Mbule but a few players too and I explained my position around players like Mbule and (Teboho) Mokoena, and those players we have said all along that they were gonna go to the Olympics.
“So we are not gonna sell them to any local team until they have been to the Olympics and had a chance for their international buyout clauses to be exercised. I have told that to the media, I have told that to other clubs, I have told that to Mamelodi Sundowns because that’s what my board has decided and that’s where we are sitting as a football club.”
Mbule and Mokoena were two of SuperSport’s four players to be called up in David Notoane’s 40-man preliminary Olympic squad.
You can read the full explosive interview where Matthews also chats about the SuperSport United sale rumours, stories linking Ronwen Williams with Orlando Pirates as well as his talks with Kaizer Chiefs duo Gavin Hunt and Bobby Motaung, in this week’s iDiskiTimes – available in English and Zulu.
