Baroka Football Club’s Chairperson, Khurishi Mphahlele has dismissed the team’s head coach, Kgoloko Thobejane and Captain Olaleng Shaku for allegedly drinking on duty.
Also dismissed are 2017 Fifa Puskás Award finalist Oscarine Masuluke, assistant goalkeeper coach Tshegofatso Machoene and kit manager Delbert Lekoana.
The contingent was allegedly caught imbibing on the team bus during their return trip from Bethlehem to Polokwane after their 2-0 loss to Free State Stars Football Club in February.
Mphahlele could not divulge the reasons for their dismissals but urged aspiring and professional players to respect their jobs. “I can’t tell you what happened because it is an internal matter and I also want to protect them. I want to urge soccer players to take their jobs seriously and respect everyone. We are sad as a club to lose them like that but we had no choice except to dismiss them,” Mphahlele said.
Shaku is the longest serving member of the team and played an integral part when the team was promoted to the Premier Scoccer League in 2016. He was also a member of the team that beat Kaizer Chiefs during the Nedbank Cup tournament in 2011.
Masuluke made headlines in 2016 when he became the first goalkeeper from the African continent to be nominated for the Fifa Puskás Award for his impressive overhead kick during their 2016/17 PSL match against Orlando Pirates.
At the time of going to press attempts to reach Thobejane, Shaku and Masuluke for comment had failed.
Story: Herbert Rachuene
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