TUT hold breath for SuperSport United partnership

Kutumela, who is in her first season in charge of the 2021 Hollywoodbets Super League runners-up, has had to be more than just a coach to the players by supporting them financially where possible.

She says joining forces with Matsantsana has the potential to change her players’ lives forever.

"We are not the only ones that are actually battling in terms of having players who are coming from painful backgrounds. This is the only place where they actually find themselves or they express themselves. Where they actually find healing and everything," Kutumela told SABC Sport.

So, imagine if now they not just getting a stipend but getting a salary. Some will be able to go back to school to rewrite and some will be able to support and help their families because the things that we see out there are so painful," she added.

"Sometimes even with food, the varsity is really trying their best to actually give them food but then you know when you get one plate, it's one of those things."

Moreover, United’s financial muscle would create an environment where the once revered TUT, who cannot seem to pull themselves out of the bottom half of the table this season, would get the practical support they need to improve their football environment.

"If they come and assist us with finances, we are not going to have stress because sometimes when we are playing away games like Polokwane, we come here at 01:00 am, 02:00 am and there's still another transport that has to transport players to Tembisa," Kutumela explained.

"So, when they come it's gonna be less stress for us because we are gonna put players in one place. So, when we put all the players in one place it will also save us another stress of having one session in a day. We could have sessions in any day because they will be closer."

Although the deadline for CAF participating teams to register for the upcoming continental football season was last Friday, 30 June, Kutumela revealed she and the coaching staff have yet to receive official notice of the agreement.

SuperSport, Sekhukhune United (both CAF Confederation Cup) and Orlando Pirates (Champions League), like Mamelodi Sundowns (Champions League) must have some affiliation with a women’s team within the South African Football Association (SAFA) structures.

The TUT mentor is confident this would help attract the kind of players that could take them back to once again challenging the likes of Sundowns, and the University of the Western Cape for the Hollywoodbets Super League title.

"I'm also one of those who actually saw on social media and they have not said anything yet. Maybe they're waiting for things to be finalised. For now, honestly, I don't know anything," she added.

"The reality is that SuperSport is one of the biggest teams, if it's gonna partner with us anybody would want to play for us. It solves the stress of going for trials because if you have trials you hardly get the quality that you are looking for. But then because now you partnered with SuperSport everyone wants to be part of that batch."