Extension Gunners interim Committee Chairman, Phenyo Gothaang, is optimistic his committee’s effort to stabilise the team will soon bear fruit. After a turbulent time which threatened to tear the team apart, waters are said to be ‘calmer’ at the Peleng giants’ stable. “As you are aware, when we took over at the club last month (December), the team was in crisis as players were not paid and were threatening to strike. Our mandate as the interim committee therefore was to stabilise the team and ensure that it is competitive,” the Gunners Interim Committee Chairperson explained.
Speaking in an interview, Gothaang said while the team is not yet out of the woods, things are starting to take shape at the club as the committee has embarked on an extensive ‘crisis management’ exercise. He said while the team is not yet financially stable, problems at the club are not as critical as they were when they took over. “There is still no money in the team’s coffers yet. However, we try our best to engage with all the parties concerned as part of our crisis management initiative to ensure we keep the players happy,” Gothaang explained.
Quizzed on whether they will meet the mandate of finding a sponsor or investor for the team at least by the beginning of the next season, Gothaang revealed the team will unveil an investor very soon. “What I can assure members of the Gunners family is that very soon, an investor will be unveiled. Negotiations with the potential investor are still ongoing but what I can tell at the moment is that we are very close to an agreement.”
While he could not avail details as to when the deal with the incoming investor will be done, Gothaang was however adamant that ‘a deal was imminent,’ adding that he is hopeful the investor will be onboard before the end of February. He said when the deal is sealed, the incoming investor’s main aim will be to cater for the welfare of the players. With Gunners already having extended their technical sponsorship deal with Tsa Gae investors, otherwise known as All Kasi, for another three years, Gothaang said the incoming investor will mostly deal with players’ welfare at the club. While it is a well known secret that the team has in the past negotiated with a few potential sponsors and investors, the Gunners’ Chairperson was however tight lipped as to who the prospective investor is.
