Jimmy Augousti, Bloemfontein Celtic Chairman, says his club is targeting a silverware next season.

“We seriously need to contest for a top four position and win a knockout competition in the new season. Our first competitive match will be against double defending League champions Orlando Piarates in the MTN8 Cup. It’s going to be a hell of a tough game because they are a quality team with quality players, and they have quality depth in every department. However, it will be eleven against eleven on the day. I think with the team that we have assembled we are going to give Pirates a good run for their money,”

“It will be important for us to get off our new campaign to a winning start. We want to improve from last season. We want the team to give the supporters something to cheer about by winning a trophy. We also want to bring back people to the stadium by playing entertaining football,” Augousti tells bloemfonteincelticfc.co.za.

Phunya Sele Sele have released a number of players in the off-season, including defender Mulomowandau ‘Tower’ Mathoho, and the Chairman says the club was not happy to let him go.

“We never really wanted to sell Mathoho until we received a written transfer request from his agent Tim Sukazi, which stated that the player would like to leave the club to join Kaizer Chiefs. We unearthed Mathoho and it was sad for us to say Goodbye to him. We wanted to build the team around him. Unfortunately the Gauteng clubs filled up his head with ‘cellphone numbers’ in terms of money and he wanted nothing but to leave the club. When a player gives you a written transfer request saying that I want to go to Chiefs. That really tells you that the player doesn’t want to be in the team anymore,” Augousti explains.

“It is not our policy at Celtic to stand in a player’s way if he wants to leave the club. We can’t risk keeping a player whose mind and heart is no longer with the club, and he is just going through emotions. We would rather work with committed, hungry players who want to achieve success and take the club somewhere. We will find a replacement for Mathoho soon. Having said all that, we would like to wish Mathoho everything of the best with his career endeavous,” he adds.

Meanwhile, the MTN8 Cup quarterfinal clash between Pirates and Celtic is scheduled for the Orlando Stadium on Friday, August 3. Kick-off is at 8pm.