Ex-Kaizer Chiefs midfielder in a weaker position now as current deal winds down
Njabulo Blom’s future at MLS side St Louis FC looks uncertain as the club has yet to exercise their two-year option while the player is not helped by a recent disciplinary issue.
Blom joined St Louis in January 2023 on a two-year deal that runs until the end of the 2024 MLS season while the club has an option to extend it up to 2026.
However, with four months remaining before current campaign ends, St Louis have remained mum over Blom’s future even though the player has kept getting selected for matches.
It might be premature to start discussions over a new deal for Blom but if the club valued him highly, talks with his representatives would have started but the silence should be a cause of concern.
Will ex-Chiefs star come to rue the disciplinary issue?
What would be more worrying for Blom and his camp is that they will be getting into the talks in a weaker position following last week’s suspension for violating team rules.
“Njabulo has been suspended for the game tomorrow. Violation of team rules but should be good after that,” St Louis coach John Hackworth told the press ahead of last Saturday’s MLS clash against Portland Timbers.
“For now, it is [one-match suspension]. When a player does something against our standards or rules and there’s a situation like this, the player is always welcomed back because the idea is that they learn a valuable lesson and come back and are even stronger.
Blom has strain his relationship with coach Hackworth
“So that is my expectation with him. I feel like I’ve had a really good relationship with him since the day he arrived, it didn’t look that way the other night, so we’re gonna correct that and I don’t think there’s going to be any problems going forward,” the tactician concluded.
Blom allegedly refused to join his team on the pitch while they were taking penalties in last week’s Leagues Cup defeat to FC Juarez.
His coach’s admission that he was surprised by the latest incident after a good relationship initially might perhaps see a change of mind which could impact his stay at the club.
What’s more, Blom does not have the backing of South African coach Bradley Carnell who signed him from Kaizer Chiefs, leaving him vulnerable if St Louis decide to shake up things in the playing unit.
