Selolwane denies reports

TSHEPO MOLWANE
Staff Writer | Wednesday October 15, 2008 00:00

 

On Monday, Kick-Off website quoted an insider at Botswana Football Association (BFA) saying that Selolwane played his last game for the Zebras when they lost 1-0 to Mozambique in the 2010 World Cup/African Nations Cup qualifier at the National Stadium in Gaborone on Saturday.

'Dipsy feels he needs to make way for youngsters and he needs to also look at his future at club level. He has played for Botswana with utmost dedication and loyalty,' a BFA insider reportedly told Kickoff.com.

But Selolwane has said he was shocked by the report because he has never talked about retiring to anyone at BFA. He said the website ran the report without seeking his comment. 'That is one thing which disappoint some about Botswana at times. Even though I have considered retiring, I have not come to that decision yet. I find it disrespectful for someone to have said that I have retired while I am still part of the Zebras. When I retire, every Motswana is going to know because they deserve a proper farewell because I have served the Zebras for long,' Selolwane told Mmegi Sport yesterday from Cape Town. Though he has not helped the Zebras to qualify for any major tournament, Selolwane pointed out that he will continue to be part of the national team as a player or in a different capacity.

Selolwane said that after the Zebras failed to make it to the third phase of the 2010 World Cup/African Nations Cup qualifiers, BFA must start preparations for the 2012 event immediately. 'We made many mistakes in the past campaign and they have to be rectified. In the past qualifiers, we expected too much from the team like qualifying for Afcon without considering the obstacles,' he said.

The striker pointed out that their preparations ahead of international assignments have always been rife with problems and this put the Zebras at a disadvantage. 'We need to be more serious and play competitive friendly games ahead of qualifiers. For example, Mozambique played against Swaziland before coming here. As for us, we play Premier League clubs.

How do you expect to test the preparedness of players especially those who have not been tested at international level by playing local clubs? That is not good and it has to be changed if we entertain hopes of achieving something in future,' Selolwane told Mmegi Sport.

The marksman believes that firing Briton coach Colwyn Rowe was a big blunder by the BFA. 'I think that was a silly decision. How can you fire someone after one game. We needed continuation. When Stan (Tshosane) came, there was a lot of pressure on him and there was no support. Stan had his own methods and it was going to take time for him to implement them and we cannot blame him for not proceeding to the next phase,' Selolwane said.

He is worried that the issue of lack of money always crops in after the BFA has failed in its duties. 'I am not buying the complaints about lack of funds. BFA has to solve the issue with immediate effect,' he said.

In the past campaign, Zebras' players spent most of the time complaining that the association owes them lots of money. It is said that against Madagascar away in Antananarivo, the Zebras' players gave away the game to punish the BFA for not meeting their demands.