Dear Editor
The answer to whether Botswana needs Major David Bright as the national team coach of the under 23 team should only be yes.
We need him to continue serving as the coach.
There is absolutely no reason that will make sense to his dismissal by the BFA, be it monetary or what.
Bright has displayed his ability to everyone for quite a very long time. He has succeeded with Mogoditshane Fighters when it was unknown on the local football scene and we all know that he has assembled the current Under 23 from nowhere and made it one of the most respected in Africa and possibly the world.
Ask China or Japan about that.
Hearing that the BFA has not been treating Bright as deserving as the nation which he has made happy will expect, I am convinced, many of us who are not used to keeping quiet when things go wrong have the opportunity to utilise the freedom of speech accorded anyhow possible. Zebras’ supporters countrywide and everyone who advocates for local empowerment should stand up and strongly condemn what the BFA is doing.
I expect the Zebras supporters club to convey the supporters message to the BFA and put more pressure on the BFA to let Bright continue as the Under 23 coach with a reasonable salary to support his family. I wish to state that a scenario where Bright was not offered a favourable contract as compared to other national coaches should not be allowed, especially when one compares their work and results that they have produced.
It is a fact that the dream team brings more supporters to the stadiums than the senior team. It is a fact that the dream team plays more entertaining football than the senior team though the senior team boasts of quality players.
The way the BFA is running the football of this country is provoking unnecessary tension and their acts leave a lot to be desired if at all they claim to be Vision 2016 oriented. I must say I am disappointed with the leadership of BFA’s president Phillip Makgalemele. It is quite disheartening to hear from the newly appointed BFA Chief Executive Officer, Mooketsi Tosh Kgotlele, whom we expected a lot from saying that the agreement to part ways with Bright was done in the best interests of the BFA, the coach and the public. That is not true. The public does not want Bright to leave but wants him to be accorded his rightful demands like other national coaches financial-wise without discriminating by nationality as they are doing. Why would the BFA pay a foreign coach like Rowe and Vaselin a sum of P90 000 a month including a car, a luxurious house in Phakalane among other benefits and a Motswana coach, who is doing well, paid less than P10 000.
What is the BFA implying on us as a nation? Are they saying that we are somehow inferior to foreigners? Is the BFA continuing the prejudices and segregation that we as black people suffered at the hands of imperialists or what? Are they really supporting citizen empowerment, or are they jealous that they will be paying a black Motswana coach from Botswana much than they themselves earn to the extent that they are hell-bent on denying Batswana the apparent national pride, joy, unity and breakthrough that Bright has created? I mean, it is silly that Bright can be dismissed simply because there are no funds when other coaches are paid huge sums. We all know that there is money since we have a diamond booming economy and the BFA seems to be prepared to spend much of it only on foreign coaches. On a lighter note, even the P21 million for Mogae’s retirement house can be of help here and a fraction of it paying Bright’s salary.
Bright has indicated that BFA took the decision to part ways with him after they failed to agree on what he was requesting. “My request to BFA was to look at my salary, but they told me that there are no funds. They decided that my last game in charge will be the Morocco game.”
“The other issue was my working relations with Township Rollers, which I clarified to them. I did not sign any contract with Rollers, and I am a free agent,” Bright said.
In fact, raising a lot of supporting arguments as to why Bright should not leave but stay as the Under 23 coach is not really necessary. What needs to be done by the BFA is very simple, KEEP BRIGHT AS THE UNDER 23 COACH TO LEAD THE TEAM TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN 2010 BECAUSE THE PUBLIC AND FOOTBALL LOVERS WANTS HIM TO. PERIOD
With Bright being the under 23 coach and this current team groomed for the future, we are seriously hopeful that we stand a better chance of beating many African teams and qualify for a prestigious World Cup in SA in 2010 and also for the Africa Cup of Nations as the teams which will be playing there are the ones Bright beat. As of now, there is now one who is better suited to lead the dream team than Bright; so why dismiss him now?
We should be proud of our own talent as the likes of Brazil do by employing their own local coaches as opposed to exhibiting pull him down syndromes by few self-centred individuals.
Football is one of the most powerful tools which nations can use to consolidate national unity and pride, especially when the team performs to greater heights as bright has stirred the dream team to perform like it is today. We demand to have Bright for a bright future with the Under 23.
Thato Osupile
