Sukazi is in the process of buying the PSL status of Celtic with the aim of taking top-flight football to KwaNdebele.

First, he will have to offload TS Galaxy to secure the finances to purchase Phunya Sele Sele and also to fall in line with FIFA’s regulations.

In an interview with KickOff, Sukazi, confirmed that he will relocate the team and that it will no longer be known as Bloemfontein Celtic once everything has been finalised, and this could be as soon as the end of the month.

“I have not as yet directly engaged with Celtic fans because we first need to reach the financial closure on the deal, which is scheduled for the end of this month.

“However, the Celtic fans are very important and we will certainly engage with them when all is concluded. It will be premature to engage them now just in case some things don't work out for whatever reason.

“Yes, people in Mpumalanga are now very excited about the prospect of having a team in the PSL. They are really looking forward to it, more especially communities in KwaNdebele where the strong base of our supporters is situated."

“No, the team will definitely relocate but that won't mean we will abandon the supporters in Bloemfontein. I have a special admiration for those supporters and will certainly come up with something special for them," he says.

“At the end of the day, they have been worried for some time about the team's state of affairs and will be happy to see a move that will rescue the team."

“The name change is a no-brainer. As I said, I've always loved Celtic supporters and we will certainly come up with something special for them.

“As a supporter, it's not nice to see your team going through difficulty. So our coming on board will put away a number of those difficulties.”

In the current chairman, Max Tshabalala, bough Celtic some six years ago, the team has been in the news more for the office politics than for their on-field achievements. Numerous coaches have come and gone, while there have been constant issues of salaries not being paid.

In 2018 there were riots in Bloemfontein when it was suggested that the club would be sold and relocated. Should the current chairman, Tshabalala, go ahead with the deal it will mean that there will be no PSL club in the province after Free State Stars were relegated a the end of the 2018/19 season. The die-hard Phunya Sele Sele supporters will also no doubt feel that they were sold out. 

@MorganPiek OFM Sport