Maritzburg United chairman hits out at departing coach Fadlu Davids

Durban – Maritzburg United Chairman Farook Kadodia has hit out at former coach Fadlu Davids following the club’s relegation from the DSTV Premiership.

After finishing second-last in the Premiership last season, the Team of Choice were consigned to the promotion/relegation play-offs. They ended up losing the mini-tournament to Cape Town Spurs, a club formerly known as Ajax Cape Town.

The 42-year-old Davids was appointed as head coach of the club last November for a second-stint, succeeding John Maduka. He eventually failed to keep the club in the top-flight and has since departed the Kwa-Zulu Natal based club.

Davids has been tipped to join Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca and serve in the technical team of new Raja coach Josef Zinnbauer. The duo had previously worked together when they were affiliated to Orlando Pirates.

Speaking to SABC, Kadodia expressed frustration, hinting that Davids may have been speaking to Raja whilst Maritzburg were still trying to preserve their top-flight status.

“It’s disappointing but we heard about talks with Raja Casablanca some 10 days ago. This was while we were still fighting for survival before we eventually got relegated. But we still wish coach Fadlu and his team all the best,” said Kadodia.

Maritzburg’s relegation from the Premiership is their first since 2006/7. Unlike other former long-serving members who bought themselves back into the top-flight after suffering relegation, the Team of Choice do not have the funds to do so.

They will now have to prepare for a season in the second-tier and attempt to find themselves back into the top-flight. It will not be easy as the club will not only need to find a new technical team and coach but also restructure their playing squad.

Two big names in captain Travis Graham and the experienced Ali Meza have already confirmed their departures from the club with more expected to follow suit.

The club is also known to have struggled in finding sources of funding in recent years. They have struggled to get capital from the Msunduzi Municipality amidst maladministration and financial turmoil experienced by the body.

“The team cannot survive if we don’t have any support from the municipality,” Kadodia said earlier this year.

“I still hope that they will support us. I cannot fight with the municipality because there is no money, if they had money they would help us out.

“You can help us to find a commercial sponsor, don’t worry about the municipality because that will make us (the team and the municipality) fight for nothing. Business people need to support Maritzburg before the team is lost.”

@eshlinv