Struggling Musona turns down United

By Mazola Molefe

KNOWLEDGE Musona has refused an offer from SuperSport United to return to the Premier Soccer League next season despite struggling in the German Bundesliga since leaving Kaizer Chiefs two years ago.

Stan Matthews, director of football at United, told the Sunday World he met with the striker – who is on loan at FC Augsburg from Hoffenheim – in Germany last week to ask him to consider returning to South Africa to solve the club’s scoring quandary.

“He said no. He believes he is still young (22) and his football is improving in Germany even though he is not playing as a central striker,” said Matthews.

The United boss said the discussion about how much it would cost to get Musona to leave the Bundesliga did not come up because, although flattered, the player was not keen. Musona’s contract with Hoffenheim expires in 2015.

Matsatsantsa were prepared to buy him, unlike the free agents they have already added to the team for next season in David Mathebula, Bennett Chenene (both Swallows), Enocent Mkhabela and Thuso Phala (both Platinum Stars).

“He said it would be a step backwards for him to return to the PSL, so there was no point in me even going as far as talking to his club about the deal because the player doesn’t want to come back,” Matthews said.

United, three-time Absa Premiership champions in 2008, 2009 and 2010, are desperate to beef up their strike force as they have looked timid up front this season.

On Tuesday, United sunk to an all-time low when they managed only a 0-0 draw against Maritzburg United in the league, slumping to their 15th draw in 25 matches. Their coach Gavin Hunt, who could be leaving the club to join Bidvest Wits at the end of the season, criticised his players for lacking composure in front of goal.

Matthews said Musona, who finished his last season in the PSL as the Golden Boot winner with 15 goals at Chiefs, was the ideal candidate to shoulder the scoring responsibility for United.

He proved to be quite a clinical finisher.

“But I have to respect his wishes. I watched him play for Augsburg when they lost 1-0 to Borrusia M’gladbach and to me it looks like he is being played as a (right) winger than at the top as a No9,”

The Zimbabwean striker, who was nicknamed the “Smiling Assassin” at Chiefs, has not set the Bundesliga alight since leaving Amakhosi following much fanfare.

Hoffenheim loaned him out to Augsburg at the beginning of the season hoping that he would get regular game time. However, Musona has so far managed to feature in 16 of the club’s 33 matches. And in most of them, the forward came off the bench and has scored just once.

“I tried to paint the picture for him. He’s had so little game time there and both his teams (Hoffenheim and Augsburg) could be relegated,” Matthews said. “But he said he is prepared to go down with the club and play in the Bundesliga 2 (second division), but he is obviously hoping that one of them stays up.” SundayWorld.co.za