Surprise Ralani has made startling claims about coach Ernst Middendorp and the handling of talented center-back Rushwin Dortley during his tenure at Cape Town Spurs.
Speaking on Hollywoodbets powered Sports Night Amplified on Metro FM, Ralani alleged that coach Ernst Middendorp had plans to terminate Dortley’s contract, effectively demoting him to the ABC Motsepe League.
Dortley, a product of Spurs’ youth academy since 2020, rose to prominence with a stellar season that earned him a call-up to the Bafana Bafana squad. Despite his evident potential, Ralani suggested that internal discord and questionable management decisions nearly derailed Dortley’s career.
According to Ralani, it was only through the intervention of veteran defender Clayton Daniels that Dortley remained with the team until his eventual transfer to Kaizer Chiefs in July 2024.
The young center-back’s departure followed Spurs’ relegation to the Motsepe Championship, a demotion Ralani attributes, in part, to the club’s organisational difficulties.
“At some point, you won’t believe me the coach (Middendorp) wanted to let go of Rushwin Dortley,” Ralani told Sports Night Amplified.
“He didn’t want him in the team anymore, he wanted to tear his contract up.
“He wanted him to play in the Vodacom (ABC Motsepe League) because he didn’t want him in the first team. If it was not for Clayton Daniels that boy wouldn’t have been playing for the national team and Chiefs right now, I swear.
“Clayton stood up to him (Middendorp) that time and said no ways I’ve seen you doing people dirty since you came here. But this is not going to happen on my watch.”
The former Cape Town City attacker also revealed that Daniels was the one who vouched for the German-born mentor to come and take the managerial role at Spurs.
And stated how Middendorp dropped him from playing for the club after telling him to stop terminating Dortley’s contract.
“And mind you Clayton was the guy who actually recommended him to the club,” he said.
“And he dealt with Clayton before anyone knows. They had a feud in training then the next thing Middendorp didn’t want him as a player anymore.
“He wanted him next to him (in the technical team) he said to the board and Clayton it seems they going to clash a lot.”
Podcast : @AndileNcube spoke to Hungry Lions midfielder Bradley Ralani on #SportsNightAmplified with @AndileNcube
— SPORTS NIGHT AMPLIFIED with ANDILE (@SNAWA_MetroFM) January 14, 2025
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