'Life has to go on', says new Bloem Celtic coach after Seema's shock exit

• Bloemfontein Celtic coach John Maduka says that the departure of Lehlohonolo Seema was not "good news" for the team.
• Maduka believes that the way the team operates will continue to be the same.
• Players are used to the changing of coaches in football, says the new Celtic coach.

New Bloemfontein Celtic coach John Maduka believes football players adapt quickly around administrative issues as he openly spoke about the departure of Lehlohonolo Seema to Chippa United.

The 49-year-old Maduka, who was recently named Phunya Sele Sele's new mentor, believes that despite the shock exit of the former Celtic coach, not much will change in the way the club operates as it will take time for him to instil his philosophy into the Free State side.

"We won't change," said Maduka during a virtual press conference ahead of their Nedbank Cup semi-final clash against Baroka FC at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

"Whatever you saw in those games previously it will be more of the same thing. So, there won't be much change on what we have been doing.

"It's been working on us. So, why would you fiddle with something that is not broken?

"There will be a slight change, depending on who we will be playing against but most of the things will be the same."

He added: "Losing coach Seema, it was not good news for the team and the players. When you are used to working for somebody else, you want to continue with that particular person.

"At the same time players are professional and they do understand that it is one of those things in this industry there will be a time where the coach leaves and joins another team.

"It's something that is not new. We're not happy that he left but it is something that we expect in this industry.

"Life has to go on. One good thing is that it's not like Bloemfontein Celtic brought in a new person from somewhere else. I was around, I've been around."

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) will resume over the weekend following a nearly five-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Cup football will be first on the agenda as the Free State giants take on the Limpopo outfit, followed by Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits in the Gauteng bio-bubble which the PSL created to complete the 2019/20 campaign.

The Celtic and Baroka match will kick-off at 14:00.