Gallants coach Dan Malesela makes bold claim about Sede Dion
Marumo Gallants head coach Dan Malesela has made a bold claim about AmaZulu’s new signing Sede Dion.
Malesela worked with Dion both in his stints with the Limpopo-based side before the striker moved to AmaZulu.
The 57-year-old tactician says they worked hard on bettering the Ivorian forward. He believes Dion was not the player he is now when Bahlabani Ba Ntwa signed him in 2021.
The 29-year-old Dion also worked with Romain Folz at Gallants before reuniting at Usuthu in December.
DAN MALESELA MAKES A BOLD CLAIM ABOUT SEDE DION
“First of all, it was not out of my wish [to let Dion go],” he told the media at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
“I wouldn’t have. I think…besides everything else, I should say, personally, we worked so hard on Dion.
“Because when he came here, he was not a striker he is now. And surely it pained me.
“I had thought that maybe when he leaves the club, the next move would be overseas.
“Obviously, him getting rid of injuries and stuff like that. I, honestly, wasn’t happy at all. Because I know where are you going to get a striker like that.
“No disrespect to AmaZulu. And with us, I knew that he understood how we play and that he would make adjustments easily. Junior Dion and Kgaogelo Sekgota during the DStv Premiership clash.
“He would know how to get into the areas and know what to do in moments because there was a lot of synergy between himself and other players.
“That’s why it was not a pleasant move for us.”
DION SCORED AGAINST EX-CLUB GALLANTS
Dion has made three appearances and scored two goals since he switched to the KZN-based side.
In their previous match, he haunted his former side, Gallants, by cancelling out the visitors’ lead in a DStv Premiership match that ended 1-1.
RELATED STORY: What Celimpilo Ngema told Malesela about the AmaZulu pre-contract