Swallows coach Ernst Middendorp almost stormed out of his post-match press conference following his side’s goalless draw with TS Galaxy.
The German tactician was left boiling by the line of questioning from the media when he was asked about the Sekhukhune United match in the first question after the Dube Birds drew 0-0 in an eventful match with Galaxy at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday.
Middendorp was already boiling, not because of the hot day in Soweto, but because he also clashed with Galaxy coach Sead Ramovic when Gregory Damons was sent off for the over top challenge to Mlungisi Mbunjana after the second half had started.
Both coaches pointed fingers at each other during the challenge before both of their benches were able to calm matters.
Later in the match, Swallows thought they had scored the potential winner, with Waseem Isaacs’s goal bound header being nodded from close range by Keegan Allan. However, first official Karabo Baloyi raised his flag for offside, though the man he thought he was offside was Lindokuhle Mtshali but he never interfered in the play.
That draw did not much good for the Soweto giants, as they remain 14th in the DStv Premiership table with 17 points after 16 matches, level on points with Middendorp’s former club Maritzburg United, who sit in the relegation/promotion playoff spot and Stellenbosch FC.
At first, Middendorp said his side was denied a clear goal: “The ball was already in the net before Allan [knocked it in] from Waseem and then how can Wassem be offside?” asked Middendorp, who was told that Mtshali was offside.
Then he was infuriated by the line of questioning when he was asked how he is going to change things against Sekhukhune at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday and almost walked out of the presser.
“Why should I think now about Sekhukhune? I’m not talking about the next game, come on man. These guys, with all seriousness, can we keep it to this game now [against TS Galaxy]? I think what happened was enough.
“If you want to pick out on Sekhukhune and talk about Sekhukhune, I’m not talking about Sekhukhune. Is this Sekhukhune press conference? Come on man.”
In the middle of the press conference, Galaxy coach Ramovic was heard fuming in the background, with journalists calling him to respect the press conference and adding to Middendorp’s fury, who then stopped.
Middendorp later spoke on the heated exchange between him and Ramovic, throwing expletive words out: “We have to accept this nonsense just because TS Galaxy coach is better dressed?”
