- Ramovic suggested why Vilakazi left Galaxy
- Mosimane reacts to the remarks
- He defends Vilakazi, a player he previously worked with
WHAT HAPPENED? The 33-year-old former Bafana Bafana star unceremoniously left TS Galaxy after joining the Mpumalanga-based outfit before the start of this season.
He left amid rumours of a fallout with Ramovic, and Ramovic has come out to address the issue while suggesting Vilakazi was not putting in enough effort.
Mosimane, who previously worked with the player at Mamelodi Sundowns, has defended Vilakazi. The ex-Al Ahli coach sings in Vilakazi’s corner, expresses shock at Ramovic’s remarks and says it is uncharacteristic of the player not to work hard.
WHAT MOSIMANE SAID: “I am dumbfounded by the tone of this interview,” said Mosimane on social media.
“I trained Vilakazi for many years competitively and consistently for over 6 years. A true professional [on and off] who respects the game and coaches. He knows sports science and game tactics, opinionated too.
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“Vilakazi was also coach in my dressing room and inside the pitch. One of the players who kept the dressing room quiet but spoke football tactics all the time. He led the football conditioning training sessions which are usually very tough. A critic of his game.”
WHAT RAMOVIC HAD SAID: “Vila is a fantastic player, fantastic name and had a great career,” Ramovic told the media.
“But for me as a coach, I don’t care about age and names. I just look at the things I see on the field. If we have players on the field who give 100% every day, train well and put in a lot of effort, those players will play.
“Players who don’t do every day the best will have a difficult time but I think it is not only at my club. At other clubs, it is the same rules because every coach tries to pick up the best XI.
“We all want to win games, I would not be smart enough if I put a player in the field who didn’t show me during the week, why should I put him to play?
“Better to play with players that put in a lot of effort, a lot of the right attitude and great lifestyle.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: It was Mosimane who signed Vilakazi from Bidvest Wits in 2016 and together they won three Premier Soccer League titles. That was the peak of the midfielder’s career and a time he prominently featured for Bafana Bafana.
After being released by the Brazilians at the end of last season, Vilakazi was not a consistent performer at TS Galaxy.
STORY IN THREE PICTURES:
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BackpagePixWHAT NEXT FOR VILAKAZI? Vilakazi is now a free agent and can sign for any club anytime. So far, there have been no indications about where he might be headed to.
