MANYISA STUCK AT ‘WESLIANS’

MBABANE – While potential suitors are reportedly lining up, they will be disappointed to learn that they cannot play him until the end of the current season.

That is the story of gifted youngster Leon Manyisa, who is on loan at Manzini Wanderers from National First Division side Vovovo. Following a ruling by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Protest and Disciplinary Committee (PDC) on Monday, implying that the player has played official matches for both Wanderers and Armenia outfit FC Van, teams interested in his services can only play him in the 2020/21 season. The second window registration opens in 24 days’ time (January 6, 2020) but Manyisa cannot play even if he registers with his parent club (Vovovo) or a new team. He is currently on trials at South Africa’s top flight football side Highlands Park.

World soccer governing body FIFA Regulations on transfer of players do not allow a player to play for more than two teams in one season. Manyisa is adjudged to have already played for two teams (Wanderers and FC Van) in the current 2019/20 campaign.

“Players may be registered with a maximum of three clubs during one season. During this period, the player is only eligible to play official matches for two clubs,” reads Article 5.3 of the FIFA Regulations.

Defiance usually comes with stiff fines. In neighbouring South Africa, Ajax Cape Town were docked nine points and got relegated to the National First Division in May last year after Zimbabwean striker Tendai Ndoro played for three clubs in one season.

Worth mentioning is that Manzini Wanderers are filing an appeal challenging  the PDC’s decision to declare Manyisa a defaulter for playing against Malanti Chiefs on return from his botched deal in Armenia.

They insist that the player is theirs, claiming that he had not been cleared to FC Van. Winning the appeal and the declaration of the Armenia deal as null and void are the only things that can make Manyisa to play for another team in the current season.
Meanwhile, fresh reports have revealed the player is currently being assessed by South Africa’s Absa Premiership side Highlands Park with the hope of securing an immediate move.

Manzini Wanderers General Manager Berger Nxumalo confirmed Manyisa’s trials with the South African Premiership side.
“It is true that he is currently on trials with Highlands Park. He left for Highlands Park on Monday and he will be at the club for two weeks. He is expected to join Amazulu on a later date for another two weeks of trials,” Nxumalo said.

Regulations

Asked on the issue of the FIFA Regulations, Nxumalo said they were aware of that and would release the player at the end of the season.
“Manyisa is with us until the end of the season. That is as far as the loan deal is concerned with Vovovo FC. If teams are interested in him, they can only get him at the end of the season,” he said.

He also revealed that they have appealed the ruling by the EFA PDC, which stipulated that they forfeited three points and three goals. According to the ruling, the player is frozen to play official games until he is cleared back from FC Van.

Meanwhile, his agent Ratshibvuma Mulovdedzi confirmed on South Africa’s Kick-Off website that the player touched down in South Africa on Monday, but did not want to say whether he would sign or not. “Yes, Manyisa arrived at Highlands Park on Monday. He’s training with them but nothing has been agreed as yet,” he added.

Former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper William Shongwe was also involved in helping to bring the player to the neighbouring country.

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