Following the departure of longtime financier Jagdish Shah on May 31st, many anticipated a massive downfall for Township Rollers.
In the chaos that ensued following the bitter breakup, Popa lost entirely everything to the business mogul. In the words of naysayers, ‘Popa left without even a pen.’
Surprisingly, it seems Popa had always been a step or two ahead and were ready to take on anything. True to their slogan, Rollers is regrouping. For once, there is a sense of purpose and the old lady of Botswana football seems to have a new lease of life.
As Popa morphs before our very own eyes, they are seemingly not short of allies. One such is South African glamour boys Kaizer Chiefs and their Marketing and Commercial Director, Jessica Motaung. The latter has shared nuggets of wisdom with Popa.
Speaking exclusively to this publication, Motaung applauded Rollers ‘for their bravery.’ The Amakhosi Marketing and Commercial Director says as the team tries to find its feet once again, they should not be harsh or try to prove anything to anyone. They need to be patient and embrace this new chapter they have ventured into.
“I believe just like Rollers, we are in the evolution route, maybe a lot more ahead than where they are now. They need to be patient while they manoeuvre. They have to be authentic at all times and be deliberate and clear about the decisions they are making. They also need to work together as a team to create a pathway for change,” Motaung advices.
She further notes that ‘change does not happen overnight.’ As Chiefs, they have definitely learnt that. “Change takes time and Rollers should know some decision will work while some will not work.”
“They should also be fair to themselves because as clubs we all go through transition one way or the other. What they are currently going through is building a whole team not just with players but even administration wise and every more they make matters,” she says.
Amid the evolution and the chaos however, there is a glimmer of hope. The team’s support base, which at one point looked jaded and eroded, has come out in force to help the team through its transition period.
This was not lost to Motaung. She applauded the team’s supporters for remaining unshaken through the recent storms of their club. A supporter is the backbone of the club, a creator of positive atmosphere most importantly, a motivator of players. With this in mind, she says this is a crucial time where the team ‘needs its supporters now more than ever.’
“I would also like to encourage their supporters to understand the massive shift the team is going through. They should also understand that it is a journey and they need their support more now as fans than ever.”
“Part of being a supporter is supporting your team even through the hard times not only the good times. I personally think it is great that they are going through this change, because a strong club is what is needed and we hope to see the league in Botswana flourishing,” she added.
While here, Motaung says she had time to meet with Botswana Football League (BFL) chief executive officer Senzo Mbatha. “I had a meeting with him to see how we can exchange and share ideas. We want all the leagues, both the Botswana and South African to be strong and once more flourish,” Motaung says.
