Celtic hit right ring tone

2008-08-27 16:05

Johannesburg - Bloemfontein Celtic have kick-started the new Premier Soccer League season with a multi-million sponsorship from cellphone giants Vodacom.

The windfall comes at the right time days before the start of the new PSL season. It will boost the popular Free State giants ahead of their opening Absa Premiership clash against big-spending Mamelodi Sundowns at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on Sunday. Kick-off is at 3pm.

Although the sponsors boss Romeo Kumalo and Celtic chief executive officer Ikie Augousti were mum on the financial details the windfall is significant and will enable Phunya Sele Sele to buy more quality players and compete for more trophies over the next three years.

In the off-season Celtic pulled off another major coup when they signed former South African Under-23 coach Mich D'Avray on a two year deal.

"We are impressed by what Muhsin Ertugral has done at Chiefs and believe Mich can do the same for Celtic," Said Augousti.

"We need patience and a plan - both of which we have. We are determined to grow the club."

The club have shown their ambition by signing the highly rated D'Avray who had great success in Australia with Perth Glory.

"Mich hit the ground running when he joined us he has been a revelation to us," said Augousti.

Better training facilities

Celtic have bigger ambitious than simply competing in the competitive PSL. "The renewal of this sponsorship deal which we began in 2005 will help put Celtic well and truly onto the soccer map," said Augousti. "We can now afford to sign quality and not quantity players. We can now look after the players well being when traveling and get better training facilities. We will also use the cash for development and to grow our image. It is time for us as a club to start producing the goods"

In D'Avray, Augosuti says he has signed a winner.

Said the Phunya Sele Sele boss: "We have a two year deal with Mich but we hope that our relationship will last a longer. Mich has a master plan which we have bought into for the club."

Augousti said that he was not worried by the fact that the two Soweto giants, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates received a larger slice of the Vodacom sponsorship cake. The Soweto giants have been bank rolled by the cellphone giants for the past decade.

"We are more than grateful for what is a significant amount of money. We cannot expect to get the same as Chiefs and Pirates as they have been around a lot longer. We do not have to national footprint that they have at present. But we will continue to improve and it is up to us to make this sponsorship work and show our backers we are worth more when it comes renewal time again. We are more than happy with what we are getting from this deal," said Augousti.

- SAPA