Baroka FC boss Khurishi Mphahlele has made a bold claim about his club’s financial muscles, saying they pay better than anyone in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
The Limpopo club unveiled nine new players at a ceremony held at the Mafori Stadium in Lebowakgomo last Saturday evening. Some of the new faces include former Royal AM goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto.
While addressing guests at the event, Mphahlele made a comparison between his club and Mamelodi Sundowns. He says every player in the National First Division wants to play for his team.
“This is the most professional club in our league [Motsepe Foundation Championship]. Everybody in our league wants to play for Baroka, every player,” said Mphahlele.
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“They want to play for Baroka FC, as much as every player wants to play for Sundowns in the Premier League. We are the Sundowns of this league. So why can’t we win this league? Sundowns have won the league a lot of times.”
He added: “We pay a lot of money. The salaries we pay, nobody can pay. You can go to any team. That’s why we signed Bafana Bafana goalkeeper [Mondli Mpoto]. He is going to CHAN. He has been selected to go to CHAN.”
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“He [Mondli Mpoto] was playing for Royal AM last season in the Premier League, and we are paying him better than Royal AM. That’s why he is here. It’s not a joke, it’s serious. He can confess because he is here. We are paying better than what he was getting there.”
Meanwhile, during the same launch, Mphahlele confirmed that Dan Malesela will be continuing as head coach.
Malesela was a notable absentee at the event, but Mphahlele reassured the club supporters that the 2019 Nedbank Cup-winning coach was still at the helm for the 2025/26 season as the club looks to fight for promotion back to the elite league.
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