Milford chairperson-coach Xanti Pupuma, who’s also a full-time gynaecologist in Richards Bay, has insisted that he’ll mull over the juggling act after the team’s promotion to the top flight.
Milford, who finished as runners-up behind Kruger United in the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC), won the playoffs by a 1-1 draw with the Premiership’s No 15 side, Magesi, in the last fixture at Seshego Stadium on Saturday to finish top of that mini league that also included MFC’s third-place finishers, Cape Town City.
“We’re going to sit and talk about it with my leaders and see what’s best for me, for my other job [of being a gynaecologist] and for the team,” Pupuma said in the aftermath of their promotion.
“I don’t want to compromise the team and my other job because the top flight is a little bit more demanding. We will see if it’s doable. If it’s doable, then we will go with it.”
Pupuma is convinced that it was their time to earn a promotion this season.
“I think it was our time; we made a few mistakes during the season where we could have lost it altogether, but it kept coming back to us. We lost a game at home [to Cape Town City last week] in the playoffs, and it still worked out for us, so I think it was our time.”
Pupuma is already salivating at the prospect of facing cross-town rivals Richards Bay in the Premiership next season and having a DStv Diski Challenge (DCC) team.
“We are going to have a Richards Bay derby, and we are going to have a DDC team. Milford is going to have a DDC team! All those things are crazy, man, and I really can’t believe it,” the Stallions owner-coach said.
Menzi Chili scored the Stallions’ all-important equaliser two minutes before the half-hour mark, cancelling out Edmore Chirambadare’s 14th-minute opener at Seshego Stadium. Milford missed a penalty via Cheswyn Philander in the 38th minute.
Milford arrived in the professional ranks via buying Uthongathi’s MFC franchise at the start of the 2023/2024 season, having been campaigning in the third tier in KwaZulu-Natal for several years.
Milford joined AmaZulu, Bay, Golden Arrows and Durban City as the fifth KZN team in the elite league.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.