‘I don’t only sell to Pirates’ – Baroka boss sets record straight

Baroka FC chairman Khurishi Mphahlele has dismissed the idea that his club prefers to sell its top players to Orlando Pirates.

Over the past eight years, several players, including Gift Motupa, Thabiso Kutumela, Donald Makondelela, Goodman Mosele, and Evidence Makgopa, have made the switch from Baroka to Pirates.

The recent transfer of Tshepo Mashiloane to the Buccaneers has led some fans to speculate that Mphahlele favours selling his best players to Pirates. However, Mphahlele has refuted this claim, stating that he and Orlando Pirates chairman Dr. Irvin Khoza have been friends since before the formation of Baroka.

Baroka boss on relationship with Pirates chairman

“My relationship with Pirates is very good. It started a long, long time ago when I was still playing football. I played for the club that was managed by Dr Khoza in Alexandra,” Mphahlele told Sowetan Live.

“However, it’s not true that I give first preference to Pirates or that I sell only to them. Remember, I sold two players to Stellenbosch in the past few months [goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke and midfielder Khomotjo Lekoloane], and those players were wanted by other clubs, but it’s always about good offers and what’s good for the players,” he added.

The Baroka boss said he was managed by the Pirates chairman back in 1983.

“The team that Irvin managed was Alexander Blackpool. I played there between 1983 and 1984 … we were campaigning in the Zambuk League, so the relationship started there between me and Dr Khoza,” Mphahlele said.