Former Royal AM Players Make Explosive Claims About Andile Mpisane Training Sessions
Former Royal AM players have lifted the lid on the inner workings of the troubled club, with claims that chairman Andile Mpisane allegedly brought friends to first team training sessions and expected them to take part alongside professional footballers.
The revelations, made by former Royal AM midfielder Moffat Mdluli and supported by ex captain Happy Jele, have reignited debate about the management of the club before its dramatic collapse.
Speaking on the Idiski Dine podcast, Mdluli described an environment where professional players, who had spent years fighting for their positions, were left questioning whether the standards of elite football were being respected.
Mdluli claimed Mpisane would sometimes arrive at training with friends and instruct the coaching staff to allow them to join the session.
“The chairman used to come to training with his friends. He would say, ‘My friend here is going to train today,’ and he would train,” Mdluli said.
The former midfielder questioned whether such situations created a fair environment for players competing for places in the squad.
“Did he compete enough to play? Was it fair for him to be there? Could he have fair competition with the other players?” he asked.
Mdluli stressed that his comments were not intended as a personal attack on Mpisane, but rather as an account of what players experienced during their time at the club.
“We are not talking badly about him. We are simply stating the facts. We sacrificed a lot to become professional footballers.”
Former Royal AM Captain Happy Jele Supports Claims
Former Royal AM captain Happy Jele also shared his concerns about Mpisane’s involvement with the team, saying the chairman’s approach to football appeared different from that of players who viewed the sport as a full time profession.
Jele claimed Mpisane’s presence at training was inconsistent, with the chairman sometimes joining sessions and at other times staying away.
“He had been singing before, and then he wanted to play football. I mean, he took soccer as a hobby. We take our jobs seriously,” Jele said.
The comments have placed renewed focus on the running of Royal AM, a club that attracted significant attention during its time in South African football before financial problems led to its downfall.
Royal AM, owned by the Mpisane family, experienced a rapid rise in the Premier Soccer League but later faced serious challenges that eventually contributed to the club’s collapse.
The latest claims from former players have raised fresh questions about leadership, professionalism and decision making behind the scenes at one of South Africa’s most talked about football clubs.
While Mpisane has not publicly responded to these specific allegations, the statements from former players have added another chapter to the controversial story of Royal AM.
