Former stalwarts of the defunct Ajax Cape Town share a common sentiment that Cape Town Spurs has become the laughingstock of football in the Mother City after it appears that their ‘pay to play’ strategy is a massive flop.
It’s believed that Spurs could only attract a handful of participants who were desperate enough for their kids to join the club. Spurs drafted up a structure with an annual Registration Fee of R3450.00 and that is besides the monthly fee of R2800 for 10 months. And in the current economic climate, this was only going to be the fortunate ones.
The likes of Dominic Isaacs, David Kannemeyer and Nathan Paulse, amongst others – who laid the foundation and building blocks for Ajax’s success when it was formed in 1999 – think that they could have spared Spurs’ hierarchy the embarrassment and heartache that this method was never going to bear any fruit.
These former players all share a common sentiment – they have no more mercy and sympathy for Spurs’ hierarchy who are completely out of their depth in the local football industry.
The trio feel the demise of their former club is obviously self-inflicted, but it’s the arrogance and stubbornness that have gotten the better of the Efstathiou brothers, Ari, Alexi and Nick.
Kannemeyer, who joined Spurs in 1995 and later made the transition to Ajax when Spurs and Seven Stars merged in 1999, vehemently stated that he is appalled by how things spiralled out of control and is particularly sad for the young talent of Cape Town who have to endure this.
Kannemeyer, along with Maahier Davids, was sent packing in 2014 after winning back-to-back Bayhill titles, back-to-back Engen titles, as well as becoming the youngest coaching duo to win their first and only Copa Amsterdam title.
“Honestly speaking, I rejoice where they are and what has happened to them as they feel nothing for the players in Cape Town,” Kannemeyer told No Bones with Jones “In all honesty, they got what they deserved. You see, there’s more to life than football. But they never valued and respected us and our abilities as coaches.
“I can’t beat around the bush as it is what it is. The day I left was the day I told Albert and Franna this club is going down and will end in the gutters… They were both shocked and asked me how I could say something like this? I hate to say it, but I was right, as I could see the way they operated.
“Also, look at the injustice they did to Shaun Bartlett? They showed him nothing but disrespect after winning promotion back to the PSL. So, in my view, you reap what you sow, and they only have themselves to blame,” Kannemeyer stated.
Isaacs, who joined Ajax in 2000 after arriving from the School of Excellence, said it is extremely sad to witness the disgraceful demise of one of the best academies on the African continent.
“They gave hope and opportunities to youngsters all over. I remember people came as far as Limpopo and the broader Eastern Cape for trails, and now you expect players to pay, it’s sad. Guys like Ian Tower, Steve Haupt and Henk Bodewes were at the club doing great work with the development back then but they never invested in quality coaches to develop the young talent.
“So, if they can’t run it as it should be run, it’s best to sell it off or pass it on to people who will do justice to the football public in Cape Town and South Africa. It’s a real tragedy and travesty that they stooped to this level, where you have to pay to play. Think out of the box, do research on how to become attractive again. The big question is who is advising them on football matters? Every decision they have taken is a move backwards,” he added.
Paulse, who had three stints at Ikamva, said that it is beyond belief how the owners have taken a multi-million-rand PSL-brand and degraded it into an amateur Motsepe League entity – robbing the Cape Town talent from yet another opportunity in the process.
“The reality is that pride always comes before the fall,” Paulse pointed out to No Bones with Jones. “The copy and paste method has never and will never yield any success. They should have stayed in their lane as businesspeople and appointed the best football brains in the industry to take the club to the next level – but no, they knew better and see how that turned out,” Paulse concluded.
