Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Former Bafana Bafana star Teko Modise has finally revealed why he left Orlando Pirates for domestic rivals Mamelodi Sundowns.
Modise, who is arguably one of the most talented playmakers of the modern Premiership era, left the Buccaneers for Chloorkop in the 2011/12 season, and since then has added to his list of major silverware with two league titles and the CAF Champions League.
Despite playing a bit-part role of late as a senior statesman in Pitso Mosimane's talented squad, there was a time where the South Africa national team was built around the diminutive midfielder.
And during the peak of his career at the Soweto giants, he was denied a dream move to Europe which he says prompted his departure.
"Within a year of playing for Pirates, I was supposed to go to Greece but the move didn't happen because at the time they [Pirates] thought Greece was not a footballing country and there needed to be better countries to come and acquire my services," he said on the Arthur Mafokate Show on SABC3.
"I didn't have a problem [with renewing my contract with Pirates] because Orlando Pirates gave me the platform," he continued.
"I think what made it worse was that the guys [Panathinaikos] from Greece came back for the second time.
"When they sent e-mails to the club they would CC me, so I could see the numbers and already your mind is somewhere else hoping you are going to leave, especially at that time I was at the peak of my career so I was hoping 'OK, sharp, let's do this'."
