The chairman of Black Leopards Football Club, Mr David Thidiela, described the report in one of the Gauteng-based daily newspapers as something that is aimed at destabilizing his club.

In the report, which appeared in the Monday edition, it is indicated that Mr Thidiela has deviated from the agreement he entered with the players. According to the report, Thidiela had promised the players that they would share half of the R2.5 million which they received as prize for reaching the final of the Nedbank Cup competition.

The report further states that, instead of paying them as promised after the final, Thidiela held a meeting with the players and told them that they would not get anything, despite reaching the final. The report also indicated that Thidiela told the meeting that he had spent a lot of his own money on the club and that he wanted to get some of it back. It is also stated in the newspaper report that another meeting was held with the players last week, where Thidiela told the players that he would pay only those who had played in the competition.

Instead of keeping the money for themselves, the players reportedly shared the money with those who were on the bench. The players were paid R2 000 each as a token of appreciation for making it to the dream final as reported in the newspaper.

Limpopo Mirror spoke to three of the players, who commented on condition of anonymity. They all indicated that they were equally shocked to see the story in the paper, saying the situation was stable in their camp. They all blamed the reporter for manufacturing news out of nothing.

When approached for comment, Thidiela was quick to mention that there were people who were against the success of his club. “We are aware of the fact that there are people who want to disturb our focus on the play-offs,” he said.

According to him, it all started after they won the case in which they were accused of unlawfully registering a player, Edgar Manaka. He said that it was business as usual in the camp and that all the players were happy. “All my players are happy and those who are not happy will come to me and discuss it,” Thidiela added.

Leopard will play against Vasco da Gama in their promotional play-off match at the Cape Town Stadium tomorrow afternoon, starting at 15:00.