Swallows returning soldiers were ‘desperate’ for jobs

An insider at Moroka Swallows has revealed the real reason why players agreed to take pay cuts at the club, after they were initially fired.

Swallows have now reinstated some of the sacked players ahead of the start of the second round of the season.

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Swallows fired an initial 22 players after they decided to strike due to unpaid salaries last December.
The issue led to the Birds failing to honour two DStv Premiership fixtures against Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows.

Swallows ended up in trouble with the Premier Soccer League (PSL), and were fined and had 3-0 defeats awarded against them for the two matches.

With the Birds trying to put a competitive squad together, there are several new players that have come in, while the team have also re-signed some of the players they sacked.

Families to feed

A source has revealed that players who went back to the team were desperate to have jobs – at least for the rest of the season – that’s why they agreed to have their salaries cut. Striker Gabadinho Mhango, goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, and Tlakusani Mthethwa are some of the players who went back to Swallows.

“It was a desperate move by the players who went back. It isn’t easy to find a team at this stage of the league, and these are people who have families and have financial obligations,’ a source told the Mgosi Squad.

“They still feel hard done by what happened last year, but there is nothing much they can do about it. These guys need jobs and that is why you see them back.”

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“What I am sure about most of them will be trying to find new clubs next season, unless their monetary situation changes at the club, which I doubt will happen. The team is really struggling and one only hopes that they can get the (financial) help that they need.”