EXCLUSIVE: Clinton Larsen on leaving Bloemfontein Celtic: I was NOT forced out. There was NO interference

Time off: Celtic head coach Clinton Larsen

CLINTON LARSEN revealed the full background to his shock resignation at Bloemfontein Celtic this week insisting there was “no interference” during his reign as head coach in Mangaung.

Larson left after the 4-0 TelkomKO defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend, insisting: “I have not made any decision on where I’m going.”

Talking on my football show BOLLOCKZ! on www.ballz.co.za (see video below), Larsen told me: “It was a long time coming, three to four weeks. To summarise the season so far, I was not happy as the head coach with the results we were getting.”

Former Orlando Pirates and Manning Rangers midfielder Larsen, 42, departs with his fanatically-followed Phunya Sele Sele a mediocre 11^th in the PSL and OUT of both the pre-Christmas knock-out competitions.

As frank as ever, the man who publicly berated referees for their “big club” bias earlier this season said: “I took the decision myself to leave the club and let Bloemfontein Celtic move forward. I had four great years and the club, never been out of the first eight – I just felt it was right to step back and let a new man take on the challenge.

“I’ll definitely stay in the game, I love it too much. It was a very emotional decision. I’ve come to love the club and the people at the club. I was NOT forced out. I could have stayed for a big pay-out but I remain on good terms with the chairman Jimmy Augousti and who knows what could happen in the future?

“I like the job I do, I enjoy going to work on a daily basis. Next week I’ll see my agent and find out who has been in touch.

“I’m still in Bloemfontein but I will be going on holiday with the family for two weeks. I know Polokwane City have been in touch but I will not make a rushed decision. That isn’t my style.

“At this point Boebie Solomons is interim boss at Celtic. I have no idea what the club are planning. I’ve got a great relationship with Boebie. A lot of people think he wanted my job but that’s not the case.

“They don’t have to look much further than Boebie for a great manager.”

With memories of last season’s Telkom KO final triumph over Sundowns still firmly in mind (who can forget the Augousti victory dance at the Moses Mabhida last December?), Larsen insisted: “I want to categorically state there was no interference from ANYBODY at the club from the day I started when I was working under Owen da Gama four years ago.

“I would not have stayed if there was any interference. I got the full support of the management and technical director Mich D’Avray. Nobody ever influenced team selection, training or tactics. I left on my terms.”

With this afternoon's departure of Ernst Middendorp at Maritzburg United, Larsen could be almost immediately replaced by the 54-year-old German with the "team of choice" now an option for Clinton.

That would continue the managerial merry-go-round following Mark Harrison's shift from Chippa United to Golden Arrows, bringing the total PSL coaching departures this season to FOUR including Duncan Lechesa's initial termination at Polokwane City nearly a month ago. 

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

Why the Telkom KO showdown between Sundowns and Celtic on December 1 HAS to be the Teko Modise final

Cup jinx: Teko Modise, 29, has yet to win a major trophy

AFTER two enthralling semis there is only one way to tag the Telkom Knock-out showdown on December 1 between miraculous Mamelodi Sundowns and blooming Bloemfontein Celtic: it’s the Teko Modise final.

On Saturday night, Msandawana defied their status as the PSL’s worst side this season, holding off Gavin Hunt’s bus-parking, bar-busting SuperSport United 1-0 in Polokwane.

The Peter Mokaba Stadium was treated to a cup tie of the highest order as Johan Neeskens prowled the touchline knowing that, despite his legendary Dutch pedigree, he should have left Chloorkop weeks ago.

After just 15 minutes, the enigmatic Eleazar Rodgers, picked up by Sundowns when Santos were relegated last year, latched on to the end of the improving Anthony Laffor’s cross to score the only goal of the game.

From there on in, it was a case of draw-specialist Hunt – with a win, a loss and eight wins in the PSL – trying to unpark his bus and find a route to an equaliser against relegation-haunted opposition.

It so nearly came in the dying moments with SuperSport hitting the bar and having a penalty appeal turned down, but a relieved Neeskens said afterwards: “I must give my boys a big compliment, I think they deserved it. We saw an exciting game with both teams competitive. They have only lost one game in the league.

“In the second half they put more people upfront, so it was difficult to defend - they were unlucky to hit the crossbar. I think it is a terrific result and it will give everybody a boost.”

The bustling ball of energy which is Hunt was predictably less enthusiastic: “I’m disappointed not to reach the final,” he growled, “Decisions haven’t been going for us lately. We came so close, we should have had a penalty.

“It was an exciting semi-final. But we have to pick ourselves up now and get on with it.”

If Polokwane was exciting, the Charles Mopeli Stadium in Qua-Qua was soon renamed Kwaaa-Kwaaa as local rivals Bloemfontein Celtic took the lead twice in normal time (Letladi Madubanya and sub Lerato Manzini) only for Free State stars to peg them back with two well taken goals from Dove Wome.

In the end, it was the irrepressible Botswana striker Joel Mogorosi who decided the match in extra-time, his long-range header just beaten the out-stretched arms of Zambia’s AFCON winning goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene in the Stars goal.

Mweene, injured when teenagers stoned the Zambia bus after their midweek 1-0 win over Bafana Bafana at Soccer City, said: "I was fit. Luckily I was not too badly hurt. They were only youngsters, but these things should not happen. Thank God it wasn't serious. But I was ready to play and I'm disappointed not to make the final."

With head coach Clinton Larsen banned after his red card against Maritzburg United, Boebie Solomons took the post-match plaudits for Celtic, beaming: “They kept coming back at us but we never gave up. They equalised twice but we always came up with another goal.”

For Stars boss Steve Komphela, the only man in South African football capable of talking Gavin Hunt under the table, it was nearly too much: “I am so disappointed. Football is such a strange game. It makes you so excited.

“My belly was full of tension, it was so full I could burst. So I had to kick a chair to relieve the stress.”

And with Katlego Cambridge Mashego breaking his leg in two places, Komphela said: “Football is like a war, there are casualties. There are no prisoners of war. We will miss him.”

And so to the final on December 1. The venue has yet to be decided but with Charles Mopeli not attracting many pre-match pop concerts, the surface was good, the crowd loud… so perhaps we could look forward to another Kwaaa-Kwaaa showdown. The Orlando Stadium remains favourite, though Moses Mabhida and Nelson Mandela Bay have both been mooted.

And in the background looms the figure of Teko Modise, the Sundowns midfielder who holds the dubious distinction of being the best modern South African footballer NOT to have won a trophy.

Modise was picked up by SuperSport United  after winning the Mvela Golden League Player of the Season while playing for City Pillars during the 2005/2006 season. After two seasons with Matsatsantsa a Pitori when they finished 6^th and 7^th in the PSL, he was spotted by Orlando Pirates.

But while he was strutting his stuff for the Buccaneers and winning Player of the Year awards in 2008 and 2009, Teko had to be content with seeing SuperSport United win three titles in a row.

Then, when he left for Sundowns after a fall-out with Ruud Krol, the Buccaneers won two successive trebles after Modise's depature. Meanwhile Daine Klate, in direct contrast, had won FIVE titles on the trot with SuperSport and Pirates. All of which led, predictably, to talk of a Modise trophy jinx.

After his side crashed out of this season’s MTN8 against Moroka Swallows, Modise said: "It's very disappointing. We can't be talking about this same thing year after year."

This time, with Modise back to something approaching his best, won’t just be about Msandawana and Phunya Sele Sele. It will be the Teko Modise final. And I think the trophy-winning jinx may soon be at an end.