Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Crisis ridden GU looks to its elders for salvation

Gaborone United Sporting Club (GU) elders’ committee has promised to rebuild and take the crisis ridden club back to its glory days.

Following the departure of the team’s controversial immediate past executive committee, the 15 member elders’ committee took over the reins to stabilise the ailing Gaborone giants.

Since their take over, as per the dictates of the club’s constitution, the elders committee has moved in quickly and appointed an interim committee to oversee GU’s day to day running.

GU’s interim committee, as appointed by the elders, comprises of President Fidelis Nkomazana, Chairperson Boitumelo Nsunge, Secretary General Kennedy Ramojela and Treasurer Mosimanetau Mosimanyane.

According to the team elders, the interim committee, under the supervision of the elders committee, is expected to oversee the team’s daily running during the transition period over a period of three months.

At the end of the elders’ committee’s three months tenure, the team is expected to call a Special General Meeting where a substantive Executive Committee will be voted into office.

Addressing a media briefing on the status of the team this past Monday at Lekidi Auditorium, elders’ committee member Tymon Katlholo said his committee took over as an emergency solution to rescue the teams from the crisis it found itself in.

“The previous executive committee was unwilling to effectively discharge its duties,” Katlholo told the press.  The elders are expected to stabilise the situation and come up with measures that will assist the team to come out of the crisis they are in before they elect the new leadership.

Another team elder and former player Seth Brown explained that the interim leadership has been talking to corporate companies and other stakeholders for sponsorship. Brown could not reveal anything on the progress of negotiations with the people they are talking to assist the club because the talks are at early stages.

Commenting about the status of the club outgoing GU General Manager Olebile Sikwane said the team’s future outlook is promising as concerted efforts are being made to take the team to its glory days.

GU experienced a rough season and some instances the club could not honour some games because players boycotted trainings due to unpaid wages. Coach Rudolfo Zapata parted with the club because of unpaid dues of over P250 000.

With the team then unable to commit to the demands of some of its players, some of whom were owed salaries, Sikwane said the team had no option but to sell some of its players to both local and international clubs.

He said looking at the amounts of monies expected to come from the sale of players, the team will have much needed cash injection to aggressively scout and buy quality players to fill the void left by the ones who have left.

Sikwane further hinted that in some instances, the team will also still benefit from future sales of some of players they have sold.

He said GU had inserted sell-on clauses in the deals with some of the clubs they are selling to, meaning Moyagoleele will be entitled to a certain percentage of future sales should the buying clubs decide to sell the players.

“I am leaving by the end of July but I will be there to assist the club in rebuilding processes. I have plans to strike a deal for some players with South African clubs and I will be part of the recruiting team to replace the players the team released. We can now commit because we are expecting money from somewhere,” said Sikwane.

The club‘s interim chairperson Boitumelo Nsunge observed that the team has lost some top players and they are in the mission to replace them with quality players.

He said GU supporters can expect exciting play in the coming BTC premiership season as the club is building a formidable team of young and experienced players.

He said the team will come up with strategies to keep their finances on the positive look hence the need to appoint resourceful executive committee that will deliver on the turnaround strategy.

On the issue of finances Nsunge explained that they need audited financial statements to see proper standing of the team.

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