Midfielder Siyethemba Sithebe says his release by Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs came out of nowhere as he was under the impressive he would be signing a contract extension.
Sithebe was one of four players released by the club towards the end of last month. Keagan Dolly, Njabulo Ngcobo and Sifiso Hlanti were also shown towards the exit as Amakhosi cleaned house in preparation for new coach Nasreddine Nabi’s arrival.
While he released a routine statement thanking the club and their fans in the days following his release, Sithebe has since made a more shocking claim, saying he was due for contract talks.
“What I can say is that I was playing back from injury,” Sithebe was quoted by iDiski Times.
“And when I spoke with the Director before I went home, he said we’d talk, and then I came back to negotiate. So, it was between two things: negotiating for another season or a new contract,” the 31-year-old said.
“I think they made a decision not to renew, obviously. But as a player, you might be shocked, like I wasn’t expecting this, but it’s football.”
Sithebe joined Chiefs in 2022 after impressing with Durban outfit AmaZulu. Unfortunately, his time in Naturena was not a happy one as he played in a struggling team. At the end of the 2023/24 season, he was deemed surplus to requirements.
Meanwhile, Nabi’s appointment as Kaizer Chiefs’ new head coach is set to be announced any day now. The club are currently in Turkey on a pre-season tour, preparing for the upcoming season, which will also mark their 55th anniversary.
IOL Sport