AYANDA Nkili has parted ways with Polokwane City.
The tough-as-teak central defender confirmed to SunSport that he won’t go down with the team to the GladAfrica Championship.
Rise and Shine were automatically relegated from the PSL after they finished bottom of Premiership table on 25 points from 30 matches.
Said Nkili: “I won’t go down with the team. I had a meeting with management and we agreed to part ways. They had a problem financially and they let me continue with my life elsewhere.”
The 30-year-old revealed that he is on the verge of joining another team in the top flight, but he refused to divulge the club until the deal is sealed.
“This coming week I will know about my future,” he said.
However, Nkili insists that players are to blame for City’s relegation after enjoying football in the land of milk and honey for the past six years.
They got promoted to the PSL in May 2013.
“I can’t blame lockdown for the team’s relegation because all the teams had the same situation,” he reasoned.
“We need to take responsibility as players. We were not good enough. I can’t say the coach (Clinton Larsen) is to blame. We should leave him alone because he doesn’t kick the ball and make mistakes.
“We must look at ourselves and say, did we do enough? NO! Every year a PSL team get relegated and unfortunately it was us this time.”
Nkili said that he will fight to ensure that the team he join finish the coming 2020-21 season within the top eight to avoid going through another stress of battling relegation.
“Football has its ups and downs,” he said.
“I’ve learnt that being involved in this situation (relegation) could kill you with stress. To think that another team has to go through this pain is stressful. It’s nice to be in the top eight and that’s what I will aim for going forward.”
