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Bakili Bullets’ captain and tower of strength Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda has pointed a finger at the club for his failure to clinch a deal with South African top-notch side Kaizer Chiefs.
Mponda who went for trials recently said on Tuesday that Chiefs’ team manager Bobby Motaung revealed to him recently that they could not take him on board because the K27 million ($250,000) price tag was prohibitive.
“When there was no news regarding results of my trials, I phoned Motaung to find out what was happening and he told me that they got scared after reading on Internet that Bullets had come up with a K27 million price tag which he said was very scary.
“Motaung was very open with me. He told me that although their priority was a left-footed defender, they still had plans to sign me. He actually went further to say that is why it took them time to make a decision,” said Mponda.
He added: “I actually approached both our treasurer and general secretary to find out how they came up with such an exorbitant price tag and they told me that it was the chairman (Hassam Jussab).
The supremely-gifted Bullets defender-cum-midfielder also said his contract with Bullets expires in 10 days time and he has no intention to renew it.
“I am not interested to renew my contract with Bullets because they failed to meet most of the conditions in the contract and I have already asked my manager Chris Kandulu to write them a letter to that effect,” said the outspoken Mponda.
The skilled footballer said he will now make contacts with Russian club Spartak Moscow and another South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Golden Arrows who have shown serious interests in his services.
“There are still windows of opportunity at Spartak Moscow and Golden Arrows and after the weekend game, I will try to contact them through my manager,” said Mponda.
But Bullets’ treasurer Isaac Mkuwo said the K27 million price tag was not binding, stating that it was just a starting point suggested by Jussab.
“The reason why the chairman came up with a figure was because we could not hear anything from Chiefs, they were quiet. Even up to now they have not communicated but if they want him then we can negotiate and we’ll let him go.
“We know that no team can buy a player from Malawi at such a price, we cannot block him from prospects of a brighter future especially at the level he has reached,” said Mkuwo.
But Motaung said in a telephone interview from Johannesburg that there are still chances of signing Mponda though not immediately.
“As I said he is a world class player with exceptional skill but our priority was signing a natural-left-footed defender but we haven’t closed the doors for him. That is why is has taken us time to communicate about the results, there was a very hot debate on him
“But we shall be doing that this afternoon,” said Motaung.
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