Coach says player moves will depend on what is best for individuals

Milford FC coach Xanti Pupuma says they are not a selling club but will not stand in the way of players who attract interest from bigger clubs.

On Tuesday, Milford product and defender Bulelani Sigomoshe was included in the starting line-up for Orlando Pirates during their league win over TS Galaxy at Orlando Stadium.

Milford, who are in their first season in the Betway Premiership, started the season with promise and are one of the teams playing an attractive brand of football despite not having many stars or established players.

“If a team approaches us for a boy that we have and we feel that it is better for him, we will consider the offer. For me the situation needs to be better for the player because I know where they are coming from,” he said after they were drawn with Orlando Pirates for the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup.

“If we feel we cannot provide such an environment for him, we will consider the offer. It is not necessarily being a selling team, but we are not going to hold anyone back.

“But it has to be good for the player, that is the most important thing for me.”

Pupuma also expressed disappointment that they are not able to play their matches at uMhlathuze Sports Complex in Richards Bay.

“It is an unfortunate situation that we are facing, but it is not in our hands. Obviously, the aim was to bring games to Richards Bay to have local people and those of Empangeni watch teams like Orlando Pirates, Sundowns, Chiefs and AmaZulu come into the area and play against us and Richards Bay, but that cannot happen.

“We played our first season in the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC) at Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban, and it is not a new environment for us.

“We are used to playing in Durban, but it is unfortunate for the people of uMhlathuze what is happening.”

Pupuma was praised by Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou for the team’s attractive style of play and said it is a sign they are moving in the right direction.

“It is humbling coming from somebody that has won the league and himself played good football. He is managing to control a team like Orlando Pirates and deal with the pressure that comes with that.

“It really gives us motivation that maybe we are going in the right direction. Hopefully we continue to grow and learn and improve, and be better in the areas that we need to address.”

Milford were one of the surprise packages in the Nedbank Cup last season, and Pupuma hopes they will replicate that performance.

“I am hoping that the experience we gained from the Nedbank Cup in the previous seasons will help us in trying to progress in this competition because cup games are different from the league.

“You only have one chance and they tend to be open. Hopefully we can use the experience of last season, when we went all the way up to the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup, and use it in this competition.”

They face the daunting task of taking on Pirates at the cauldron of Orlando Stadium but Pupuma said his team are coming to Gauteng to compete.

“It is a different space but we are a little bit more confident. We are used to the system, we are used to the league, the pace, and hopefully we will go there and really give them a game.”