Mass player exodus at ECCO
Chakalisa Dube | Thursday July 16, 2015 14:02
Were the other teams to succeed in harvesting Mamoja Diski’s cadaver, the team would sink deeper into oblivion, which could only mean doom and gloom for Francistown football with yesterday dejected club officials saying they were resigned to losing four players before the transfer window closes next month.
“Nico United have so far requested to talk to three of our players, Bokani Loeto, Boitumelo Semaatla and Onkgolotse Senata and we are expecting a deal regarding their transfer soon.
“All the players have contracts running until next season, but we will allow them to leave because we cannot sustain them. “Olekane Mambo is also working on finer details to move to Orapa United,” ECCO spokesperson, Israel Ontiretse said.
However, Ontiretse said the list is expected to balloon like the stomach of a starving urchin in coming days.
“We do not have money to keep some of our senior players. We expect them to leave and we will not stand in their way,” said Ontiretse.
The spokesperson further noted that the club is yet to finalise the signing of Tanzanian marksman, Iddi Banka and South African forward Lovers Mofokeng who featured prominently for FC SATMOS last term.
Both players have been training with ‘Mamoja Diski’ in recent weeks and featured in a pre-season tournament a fortnight ago.
“We are closer to finalising both deals. I am confident that by next week, we will have completed the signing of the players.” Ontiretse said the team is still negotiating with potential sponsors and partners in a bid to improve fortunes. Although he declined to name the sponsors, indications are that the club has entered into sponsorship talks with one prominent wholesaler and a leading car dealership.
Should ECCO lose key players in the transfer window, it will be the second time the club lost many players at a go. Last year, the club lost a number of players to Premier League rivals; Orapa United, Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Nico United.