While controversy continues to swirl off the field, newly elected Durbanville FC chairperson Darren Frittelli is adamant that his focus remains firmly on football and ensuring the club continues its upward trajectory.
The Cape Town Tygerberg LFA outfit recently placed its faith in Frittelli to take the reins following the conclusion of former chairperson Nigel Chippendale’s term of office, a development that sparked fresh debate within club circles. Yet despite the turbulence, Frittelli insists he will not be distracted by politics or off-field noise.
“Yes, that is what we said. The focus should be on the kids and the football on the field,” Frittelli told No Bones with Jones. “The rest of it we dealt with, so yah, depending how it goes.”
It is a philosophy that appears to have filtered throughout the club.
Credit must go to senior team head coach Divian Adams and Graham Purdy and their players, who have managed to keep their eyes on the bigger prize despite the uncertainty unfolding in the boardroom.
Durbanville find themselves on the verge of a historic achievement at the Safa Cape Town Third Division Playoffs currently being staged at The Greens in Manenberg.
The team have been among the competition’s standout performers and, having been drawn against hosts Young Idols FC in the quarterfinals, sit just two victories away from reaching the promised land and securing promotion.
Frittelli believes a clear separation between football matters and administrative issues has been key to maintaining the club’s momentum.
“The idea was to try and keep off-field business off-field and leave the on-field focus on the field. That was sort of the plan,” he explained.
However, just as Durbanville’s promotion dream gathers momentum, the club’s internal saga continues to cast a shadow. Chippendale recently broke his silence after an independent arbitration tribunal overturned all six disciplinary findings previously made against him, reigniting questions over a dispute that has simmered beneath the surface for much of the season and created an undercurrent of instability despite the team’s impressive performances on the pitch.
In a public statement, Chippendale revealed that Durbanville’s disciplinary committee did not find him guilty of fraud or theft. He further stated that an independent arbitration process subsequently overturned all six findings of guilt on procedural and regulatory grounds.
With promotion now within touching distance, the last thing the club can afford is for off-field drama to overshadow a season that could culminate in one of the most significant achievements in its history.
For Frittelli, however, the message remains unchanged: keep the focus on football, protect the players from distractions and allow the team to continue chasing a dream that is tantalisingly close to becoming reality.
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