BY ANITA RANNOBA
In his desire for the national team, Mogomotsi Teenage Mpote, the interim head coach for the zebras was to establish an all new dream team that will re-live the heydays of the then Zebras.
Mpote said in an interview that his aim was to train the youthful players to be dependent on themselves rather than leaning on their senior brothers during the national call games.
“This is our transition, the future of Botswana they are the best. This is the team to bet on from now till further. I want them to learn to live without their older brothers and be independent,” Mpote clarified.
Last minute changes in the Zebras line up came through when Omaatla Kebatho of Orapa United dropped from the team due to school commitments and was replaced with the nations absolute favourite Joel Mogorosi.
Local football writer and analyst Mqondisi Dube noted that being an interim coach is very difficult as he does not really have a final word to what his wishes and desires for the team might be.
“He cannot really draw a compressive road map, not knowing where he will be tomorrow. Maybe the development agenda is from Botswana Football Association and he has to toe the line. Like I said it is difficult to come up with a clear cut agenda for a game or two,” Dube said.
Regarding Mogorosi’s appointment, he noted that coach Mpote might have realized in hindsight that he is worthy a place in the team after the public’s reactions.
Dube observed that there is no wide pool of good strikers to afford the luxury of leaving out not just your league’s top goal scorer, but an experienced, tried and tested marksman at national level.
“He has to perform in these few games, so he needs such experience. He has to show that he is capable because if he calls an inexperienced team and he loses games, he will be judged based on results not on his future plans. At national level you cannot continue to build, results are also paramount,” Dube concluded.
Another BFA insider, who was commenting on condition of anonymity, stated that it’s quite clear that Mpote is not making decisions on his own but the BFA helps with decisions.
The source noted if indeed he wanted an all youthful team he could have not opted for Mogorosi but rather another youth player.
“If as a coach you changed your agenda and plans by the sound of a crowd it’s either you were not certain about your plan or someone is influencing your decisions. He could have replaced Omaatla by another youthful player than to select a player that everyone is crying to have in the team,” he said.
The source said it is without doubt that somehow the BFA influenced the calling of Mogorosi, noting that Mpote had to stand his ground even though everyone wanted Joel.
