No compensation, no credit, not even a water bottle or a bib.
Will Silver Spurs ever receive what is due to them and rightfully theirs?
This is the million-dollar question following the export of their latest development product in Zeke Felix (16) to Mamelodi Sundowns, the defending PSL, African League and African Champions League champions.
Felix, along with Xavier Jodamus, Junaid Seedat, Liam Marthinus, Anothando Menemene and Selwyn Jordan left for Chloorkop on Sunday after the Brazilians snapped up these talented Cape Town-born players.
Felix follows in the footsteps of his older brother, Ethan (20), who was snapped up by Stellenbosch a couple of seasons ago.
The Felix brothers, who hail from Silvertown in Athlone, have been on Spurs’ books since the tender age of six.
With the duo who has moved on to greener pastures at a professional level, Spurs was not even given any credit or respect for the roles they played in the growth and development of these youngsters.
This pattern dates back to 2014 when one of their first products, Tristan Brandt, was scouted by the now-defunct Ajax Cape Town.
The 18-year-old Brandt moved on to Cape Town City two years ago only to be released to the ABC Motsepe outfit. Still Spurs got the short end of the stick with nothing to show for their efforts.
A similar scenario unfolded when Toughier Claasen was snapped up by City in 2017 where he was a regular in their Diski team – only to be released to Hanover Park recently.
This begs the question… is it really worth it for smaller clubs – who put in all the spade work and sacrifices to allow their top talent to leave for greener pastures without any compensation? Where is the middle ground here!
The policies in place which dictate that amateur clubs should get some sort of compensation for their talented players are completely being ignored – and taking the legal route (to Fifa) will only incur unnecessary expenses for amateur clubs like Spurs and many others who are in the same boat ultimately defeating the purpose.
