With the ABC Motsepe League campaign kicking off this coming weekend, Damian Hegg, Technical Director of Ukhanya United has finally opened up on the non-approval sale of the club.
The Swiss-born Hegg was in the process of acquiring the Second Division status of the Retreat-based outfit, but the purchase was not approved by Safa Western Cape.
This means that Ukhanya’s Second Division status, cannot be sold or bought this season.
The actual purchase of a status can only happen after this season, following Safa Western Cape’s ruling that franchises or statuses can only be sold after operating for at least two seasons.
Safa WC’s soccer boss Tankiso Modipa confirmed in September that this decision was taken to rid the game of scrupulous dealings and money laundering.
This subsequently forced Hegg’s hand to lose one of his coaches, Sameeh Mc Laurie, who played an “integral part from the beginning” in the recruitment of young talent for the new season.
‘Meehie’, as Mc Laurie is known, recently downplayed his axing citing work commitments as his reasons to relinquish his position at the club.
Hegg explained to No Bones with Jones: “The non-approval of the sale made it challenging to run the two entities as one as we were confident that the idea was to use synergies.
“The latter was definitely a challenge with two clubs. Coach (McLaurie) has been an integral part of the one since its very start, hence he wanted to continue.
“The roles within the current organisation as coach, technical director, etc were always open and fluid as the Boks were under Rassie (Erasmus) and Jacques (Nienaber), hence the change is not that drastic,” Hegg added.
Hegg, who regularly operates between Africa and Europe for football business, has since roped in the former Police FC coach, Zandisile Zakes.
Coach Zakes is no stranger to the league as he was an assistant coach when Police FC won promotion to the Second Division in 2020.
“With Coach Zakes there’s a lot of experience in the league, also with Mazi as strengthening and conditioning coach, as well as myself with over 20 years in coaching at top academies and Second division,” Hegg added.
Meanwhile, Zakes said he is under no illusion of the challenges that await but is ready for his ‘new’ role within the club.
“I am just trying to put my foot on the ground so that the players can understand the new voice that comes in,” Zakes informed our website.
“Not that I am new, I was there but now I am in charge, you know. I am ready but let’s see,” Zakes concluded.
