Former Cape Town City goalkeeper Hugo Marques Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
Cape Town City are considering taking legal action on former keeper Hugo Marques who lied about his father’s illness to trick the club into releasing him.
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A Phakaaathi source has revealed that City management were shocked when Marques signed for Petro de Luanda in his native Angola last week.
“He left the club because he claimed his father was critically sick in Portugal and he wanted to be close to him. He said anything could happen.
“When the club offered to give him some time off, he asked that he be released because he would want to play for a small team in Portugal to keep fit so that when he came back he would not be far behind in terms of fitness.
“The club was shocked when he turned up at Petro Luanda. But it has since emerged that he had been promised big money there but the club was not willing to buy him out of his contract at City,” said the source.
This is said to have angered City boss John Comitis who is now considering his legal options on the matter.
“When he reported that his father was not well, it was easily understandable because he had had bad games. It just made sense for everyone. But now that it has been found out that he was lying, everyone is in disbelief,” added the source.
City coach Eric Tinkler complained earlier this month about some of his players’ off-the-field misdemeanours and it has since emerged he was referring to Marques.
The Angolan forced City to rush the return to action of Darren Keet who was not fully fit at the time.
Marques was signed last season after Keet was injured. He was initially given a one-year deal but it was extended after he did well.
He was a shining light in Tinkler’s team last season and played a critical role in them finishing second in the league and was named Goalkeeper of the Season.