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The Citizen
24-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Bloemfontein Celtic identity crisis: revival or rivalry?
For now, the light at the end of the tunnel looks increasingly more like an oncoming train. Marumo Gallants Fans/Bloemfontein Celtic fans during the Betway Premiership 2024/25 football match against Kaizer Chiefs at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein on 14 September 2024 @Gavin Barker/BackpagePix Now that the dust has settled and SuperSport United's demise is officially confirmed, it's time to address the elephant in the room. Will the real Bloemfontein Celtic please stand up? The curious state of affairs in trying to revive the club would be funny if it wasn't this confusing to all football lovers in the Free State province. ALSO READ: Sundowns unveil home and away kits for 2025/26 season The PSL status formerly held by United has been acquired by a new entity, Siwelele FC, backed by a Bloemfontein-based consortium led by Calvin Le John, son of Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie. Celtic in Tshwane The club is set to play its 2025/26 Betway Premiership campaign out of Lucas Moripe Stadium in Tshwane, and despite the change in location, it is already positioning itself as the spiritual successor to the original Celtic. Mckenzie has publicly shared his family's emotional connection to the club, with the outspoken sports minister once revealing, 'The only time my father hugged me was when Celtic scored a goal.' While the minister insists he will not interfere in club matters while in office, his influence looms large over the project. However, the situation is far from clear-cut. Edward Modise, a Free State businessman, has legally acquired the naming rights to Bloemfontein Celtic from former owner Max Tshabalala. In an interview with Radio 2000's Thabiso Mosia, Modise outlined plans to purchase a Motsepe Foundation Championship status and restore the Celtic brand through promotion, rather than top-flight acquisition. This has left some supporters in a state of confusion. Should they rally behind Siwelele FC, who have a PSL status but no official claim to the Celtic name, or wait for Modise's version, rooted in Free State and built from the ground up? ALSO READ: Ex-Pirates star compares Nkota to Bale Social media activity suggests Siwelele FC has already begun engaging with fans, holding community meetings and using club iconography. Yet, the legitimacy of this effort remains in question given that the actual naming rights reside with Modise. Tug-of-war It's a tug-of-war for heritage, identity and fan loyalty. It threatens to further fracture a supporter base already left heartbroken by the club's earlier sale. Instead of a long-awaited return, Celtic fans are now watching two rival visions pulling in different directions. Siwelele FC will open their premiership campaign against Golden Arrows while the true revival of Bloemfontein Celtic remains in limbo. The question remains, where does this leave the loyal Phunya Sele Sele faithful? Who do they back, Le John's Siwelele FC, or Modise's bid to bring back the real Celtic? What happens if Modise follows through and secures a status in the NFD? The naming rights legally belong to him, and a potential clash seems inevitable. At this stage, it's difficult to speak of a true revival when two camps claim the same legacy but are pulling in opposite directions. ALSO READ: Banyana star Salgado on the mend after successful surgery For now, the light at the end of the tunnel looks increasingly more like an oncoming train. Once again, the fans risk ending up on the wrong side of a messy collision.
IOL News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Mamelodi Sundowns must follow in the footsteps of the class of 2016 in the Champions League final
Sundowns celebrate after winning the 2016 CAF Champions League final against Zamalek in Alexandria, Egypt. Photo: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix Sundowns celebrate after winning the 2016 CAF Champions League final against Zamalek in Alexandria, Egypt. Photo: BackpagePix Image: Backpagepix Mamelodi Sundowns have to try to follow the model of the 2016 CAF Champions League winning season when they face Pyramids in the final this campaign. Sundowns will host Pyramids in the continental showpiece final first leg at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday before visiting the Pharaohs on June 1. This will be the second final for Sundowns since 2016, while Pyramids are making only their first showdown on the continent. And so given the gulf in experience, Sundowns are tipped to put that into good use and become only the first SA based team to win the continental crown twice. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Coach Miguel Cardoso will also be eager to make up for lost time as he lost last season's final with Tunisian giants Esperance to outgoing champions A Ahly. Cardoso is now more experienced than he was last season and should have a few tricks up his sleeve to ensure that they beat Pyramids over the two legs. But there'd be no better model for him and his troops to try and copy than that of coach Pitso Mosimane eight years ago when they beat another Cairo based side, Zamalek, in the final. Mosimane and his troops beat Zamalek 3-0 in the final first leg at Loftus courtesy of goals from Anthony Laffor, Teboho Langerman and an own goal from Islam Gamal. That clinical performance worked out well for the Brazilians in the end as Zamalek 1-0 win at home was notwithstanding as the former won the contest 3-1. Keeping a clean sheet and scoring goals in the first leg at home augurs well for teams on the continent as the away goal rule usually counts in their favour as well. Sundowns have ample reason to believe that everything will be doable in Pretoria as they'll not be short of supporters as the match-day tickets have already been sold-out. The Ka BoYellow Nation and neutrals by now seem to understand that when a local team does well on the continent that augurs well for Bafana Bafana as well. Sundowns' continental experience helped Bafana during the previous Afcon as Hugo Broos mostly used Sundowns' players en route to their third-place finish. The Brazilians, who were crowned local champions for a record-extending eighth time on Sunday, have every reason to want to win the African crown. It would also serve as a huge inspiration ahead of their participation in the Club World Cup in the US next month.
