Controversy seems to be well established at the defending champions of both the League and the lucrative Coca-Cola tournament, Mochudi Centre Chiefs.
For some time the team has been in financial doldrums which have the potential to sink the team into deeper difficulties if the problems are not attended to quickly.
Now, unsportsmanship behaviour is also reported to be rife at the club. Information reaching Sunday Standard is that Centre Chiefs players who are in the national team are being instructed either to fake injuries or not to give total commitment. The reason being that the team wants to successfully defend the two titles they won last year and want their players to only give maximum commitment to the team.
The latest incident is that of Dirang Moloi.
Moloi was called up to the national team and could not make it for reasons that left the Botswana Football Association exasperated. Sunday Standard is reliably informed that Centre Chiefs influenced him to go to the camp late in order for him to be fully fit for last weekend’s Coca-Cola Cup game against Notwane.
Moloi played a pivotal role in the game as Centre Chiefs walloped Notwane 5-2.
On the other hand, Notwane players who were in the national team found the going tough. The example being bone-crushing defender, Moreetsi Mosimanyana, who looked fatigued and was blamed for the second goal.
The development from Centre Chiefs is seen as destroying the careers of the players because certain individuals in the team are seen as putting their interests before that of the nation.
Players who mainly make it outside the country are, in most cases, scouted in the national teams and if they do not get the call-up, then they are bound not to be spotted by scouts.
Coach of the national team, Stanley Tshosane, was also lost for words when talking about Moloi’s no show at the national team camp and did not rule out foul play from Centre Chiefs.
“We called Moloi to camp and all the local players made it but he did not.
When we called his team, they said he had a knock and would come latter. We then told Centre Chiefs that we had our own medical personnel to asses the seriousness of the injury to see whether he would continue playing or not. We even personally called the player and he promised to come but he never showed up. We had no choice but to replace him with Ndiapo Letsholathebe whose fitness is still not satisfactory. Moloi only turned up at the ground after their game against Notwane and on our part it was too late,” he said.
Tshosane also stressed that it is painful to see the career of a promising player like Moloi going down the drain and even said he personally talked to his mother. He also added that he always calls the player because he has potential.
“Everybody in this country knows what Moloi is capable of and that is why we always call him for camp. It is disappointing to see this happening,” said Tshosane.
The development around Moloi comes after another one surrounding another Centre Chiefs player, Tshepo ‘Talk Talk’ Motlhabankwe. He once never turned for camp and instead faxed a sick leave letter after two days.
It latter turned out that he was banked for a certain game at the expense of the national team.
Efforts to contact Centre Chiefs spokesperson, Clifford Mogomotsi, were futile at the time of going to press. His mobile rang unanswered and he never even returned the calls.
