What happened in Madagascar was indeed a disaster.
I watched helplessly from Notwane Club’s TV screen as we were humiliated by a less arrogant and not so vigorous team while we had our cr├¿me dela cr├¿me of football players and a good technical bench.
I must say I was not convinced it was
Bra Stan who was failing.
It was the players.
I know a lot of my friends say that Stan is not suited for the job, but I stand with this man.
He will deliver the goods for us. When the headlines came screaming from Mmegi and the Sunday Standard about players being owed, I then realised exactly what was missing in Madagascar. As much as some people will call players names for losing the game in protest, I think we are venting our anger at the wrong people.
Our anger should be directed at Tosh Kgotele and his team. For our players not to respect the coach is totally uncalled for, “gase Setswana ebile gase botho” I condemn that with strongest terms possible.
Now as much as I love our national team, I think we should try and show BFA that we as the nation are not pleased.
Mr. Kgotele and his staff run the show as they like with little regard to our national team players welfare. I think bo Rre Katse, and rre Keatholetswe must get out.
They have overstayed their
time.
I have some advice to BFA leadership that can make sure these crises are avoided in the future.
These crises occurred in Morocco where a commission was setup.
Unfortunately, BFA is doing little with the recommendations of the commission. What baffles me is that now BFA has Orange sponsoring the national team player’s appearance fees and the president has vowed to give all national team players something.
Where does all this money go?
Since Orange has agreed to sponsor the players’ appearance fees, I suggest that BFA should make an arrangement with Orange to pay that money directly into the players account.
Every time a national team camp is called players names should be sent to Orange so that when the game ends on Sunday by Monday Orange wires the money into players’ bank accounts.
This way there will be no delays.
My other suggestion to Kgotele and his guys is that they should prepare a financial statement and publish it in the newspapers for the sake of transparency. There they can include all the revenues being sponsorship, FIFA, CAF and BNSC grants, gate takings and sale of national ream replica regalia, their expenses being national team players allowances those are the ones that I know of. IF they can do this then we can all believe them ha bare ga ba je madi a national team.
Even the sponsors would be happy that the nation knows that their money is well spent.
That way it would become worth investing more in the national team.
To the players, guys we know that BFA owes you a lot of money but what you did in Madagascar was totally unacceptable and very suicidal to say the least.
My advice to you is that guys you are not indispensable.
Why not go into camp when called up and simply say pay me my dues first so that they can choose other players if they don’t pay?
You have the President’s ear.
As your patron these are the issues that a captain should take to the president and inform him about.
It is totally childish and gase Setswana guys.
If you feel you cannot play for the national team because they owe you, say it out! Why give us hope when you know quite well you are not prepared to do it!
All the foreign-based players were signed after being spotted as they donned the national jersey and I think some veteran players are just bitter that they haven’t gotten a lucrative deal and age is not on their side.
Now they want to spoil the youngsters’ future by being mediocre.
Bra Stan should know by now that they are lot of players to choose from who are eager to show the world that they can take Botswana forward; the under-23 and under 20 guys can make a very good team; the likes of the Coca-Cola sensational Mogakolodi Ngele and Phenyo Mongala. Bra Stan answer this – what do you really want Dirang Moloi to do so that you can give him 90 minutes break?
Last, but not least, I implore Minister Gladys Kokorwe to ask BFA what’s going on with the national team.
I know FIFA doesn’t approve of government’s interference into the running of football, but we can’t afford to be embarrassed like we did in Madagascar and just fold our hands.
