What�s the delay with Butler�s assistant
Dennis Keagile | Friday March 28, 2014 15:19
I would understand if Butler wanted to appoint a foreigner, but we know that he is not and has identified someone or some people to be his assistant. The BFA executive ought to give him the benefit of doubt because it will be his head on the block when things do not go well.
As head coach he needs people he can work comfortably with; those he can trust, not someone he may feel imposed on him, and the kind who share not only his philosophy but his methods of coaching. By imposing its own preferred people, the BFA would be more like trying to dictate to him what tactics, strategy or formation he should use.
We all know Mike ‘Dubula Dubula’ Sithole, the Mochudi Centre Chiefs coach. He believes a lot in Zaidi whom he has roped in as his assistant at Chiefs and so far so good. The two complement each other and that is what Butler needs.
I was never comfortable with the pair of Stanley Tshosane and Kenneth Mogae because they seemed to be two identical coaches.
An assistant is more like a coach’s best friend, wife or husband. In the coach’s absence, there won’t be any changes in philosophy or style of play. In fact the more new people are given a chance, the better it is for Botswana football, as the base of local coaches with international experience will be broadened.
The BFA executive should be embarrassed if not ashamed that it cannot easily find a suitable assistant. This just goes to show how much work Benny Kgomela has on his hands to continue with the legacy of Ben Koufie, the Ghanaian who drilled many into the coaching career.
Another deficiency is that the association does not have stand-in coaches for the lower teams, the Under-20 or Under-23.
If structures for the junior teams were in place, it would be easier to pick an assistant for the senior team from that pool.
The greatest mishap for Botswana football is that it does not retain, but seems to always discard talent whenever there are differing points of opinion. By now, I believe the likes of Mooketsi ‘China’ Mading would be entrenched within the coaching structures of Botswana football.
He is not only a club administrator, but also a former Zebras player and Under-20 coach. His club FC Satmos is doing very well in the league considering that it gained promotion this year.
We also have Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote, the Township Rollers assistant coach. Here is another talent the association ought to look at in order to broaden their base.
This new Zebras team needs fresh minds and a new approach. The interest of individuals need not get in the way of the bigger picture.
Flamingo Santos
I have followed both Michael Molefe and Matshidiso ‘Sexton’ Kowa for a long time. I have watched Molefe at Gabane Santos and Kowa during his playing and coaching days at Chiefs and later Uniao Flamingo Desportos.
The merger of the two clubs brought some excitement to me with the hope that sooner we will have a bigger and well run professional club.
In fact Flamingo’s support base was White City and during the early days up until it merged with Gabane Santos, the team’s support was steadily growing.
I had expected the merger to bring more support but by the look of things it is not clear whether in terms of branding it was better to have the name Uniao Flamingo Desportos or Gabane Santos.
I therefore call on Molefe and Kowa to go back to the drawing board to make introspection on this project which to me seems to be taking long to go into the next phase. At some point there was talk that transport magnate Kenneth Seabelo Tlhaselo wanted to team up with the duo but he has since gone underground.
Kowa and Molefe have to change gear and look for other investors to come on board, otherwise the club will forever remain a small team.
My biggest worry is that age is not on their side and once they get tired, the club could disintegrate, so the two gentlemen have to plot the team’s future now.
I am of the view that it could be easy for Santos to look for investors. Equally I urge the team to look for land for development in Gabane and move away from Molepolole because it does not have much attachment with the Molepolole people.
The club’s support is in Gabane and White City and perhaps it should introduce the old Gold and Black kit as its away kit so that the residents of Gabane can associate with it again. Molefe on his own cannot bring support from Gabane.
And whether the team can survive relegation this year is a matter of guess. Replacing senior players who left the club has not been easy. Time to go to the drawing board Kowa and Molefe to chart a new route!