Nelukau – We Are The Defending Champions!

Ahead of their Nedbank Cup quarter-final against SuperSport United on Friday, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) head coach Lucky Nelukau insisted his side are the defending champions of the cup.

Nelukau was part of the then TTM, which was later sold and renamed Marumo Gallants, who went on to win the cup under the name TTM however under new ownership.

At the beginning of 2021 Abram Sello bought the club’s franchise from Lawrence Mulaudzi, and while he had every intention of renaming the club, he was only able to do it at the end of the season. Therefore when they lifted the Nedbank Cup, it was TTM’s name that was engraved on the trophy.

It was part of the merry-go-round of 2020 and 2021. In 2019/2020 TTM were in the GladAfrica Championship, but sold that franchise to Sekhukhune United, when they bought Bidvest Wits’ DStv Premiership franchise. Sello then took over in 2021. When Royal AM bought Bloemfontein Celtic’s top flight status, Mulaudzi returned with TTM in the GladAfrica when he bought AM’s second tier status.

Speaking to the media in Luis Trichardt this week ahead of Friday’s game Nelukau said the GladAfrica Championship side remain the champions. 

“I told my players that it is very important to go and win this match, as you know we are the former champions and it will help you to go somewhere if we can go straight to the final,” said the coach.

Despite Gallants winning the trophy under the TTM name and participating in the CAF Confederations Cup under a different name, Nelukau said he did most of the work during that campaign even though he didn’t take the team to the final.

“Marumo they are not the defending champions. If you can read the cup it’s TTM and we are still TTM, I don’t know why you are talking about Marumo. Marumo they are not the defending champions.

“The team that won the Nedbank Cup, it was TTM under our leadership. I’m the one who beat SuperSport when we qualified for the quarter-finals, that’s why I’m saying it’s TTM. They just took over the team, I’m the one who signed those players. I’m the one who was coaching those players.”

Meanwhile the Department of Health in Limpopo is on a drive to get interested supporters vaccinated ahead of the weekend matches in the province.

Department spokesperson Neil Shikwambane told iDiski Times that there are incentives for fans in the form of tickets. Shikwambane added that there will be vaccination teams at the match venues.

“We are actually encouraging those with vaccine certificates to print them and be on time, but if not we will be having our teams at the stadium that will be vaccinating and also assisting those who might not have had the capacity to print their certificates,” he said.

“I’m talking for both games that are happening this weekend, also that approach will be taken moving forward as the PSL games return probably next week.”