Hoping for an all-action; gibberish free season
Thuso Palai | Friday August 7, 2015 17:54
Last season ended on a sour note with boardroom meetings, indecisiveness, controversy, with football matters eventually reaching the courts of Law, something that FIFA abhors. Not to sound like aim scratching a healing wound, the end of season off field shenanigans that we had to endure as football followers was really uncalled for and once again we found ourselves talking about who is who and who wields more power and influence as opposed to celebrating those who did well.
Mochudi Centre Chiefs Championship celebrations were somewhat overshadowed by the BFA-BPL-Notwane-Sankoyo-FCSatmos circus. That was unfortunate to say the least. However, the matter was settled and I hope we learnt something from the unsavoury incident to be wiser to it next time around. As the most popular sport in the country, sponsors will obviously look to football for partnerships but it works against the sport when it is always in the news for all the wrong reasons. Anyways, I hope it is a closed chapter and we move on, wiser and more alert.
One wise man once said; what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and wiser, and hopefully we keep learning from pour past mistakes for future reference. Hence my confidence that this season will be an all action packed on the field with no undesirable boardroom and courtroom fixtures. Botswana Football Association President Tebogo Sebego and Botswana Premier League CEO Bennet Mamelodi are reasonable and intelligent gentlemen who I feel have learnt and will be wiser next time around. Despite not agreeing with them here and there, which is only natural, I still have the utmost confidence on them. With the recent appointment of one Kitso KK Kemoen, we have someone with knowledge and wisdom, who someone who understands the politics around our football. He will most certainly have a calming effect and add that ‘motsadi’ aspect to Botswana football.
The Premier League is the pinnacle of Local football and therefore all needs to be done to ensure its smooth running. We cannot expect the National teams to be competitive when the League is cold and is always embroiled in controversy. This weekend, the pronounced rivalries will be rekindled and the underdogs and less fancied sides will be looking to cause upsets and throw a spanner in the works. Getting the scalp of one of the big 3 or 4 remains one of the greatest achievements for the less fancied sides.
Once again the defending Champions Centre Chiefs, Gaborone United, BDF X1, Township Rollers are being touted as favourites. They have been the most consistent teams over the past few seasons and it is not far-fetched to have them as early favourites, however based on history and track record. We will certainly have an indication of who is who in the zoo by atleast game 10. Magosi, Moyagoleele and Popa have once again opened their cheque books in the off season and have splashed. However that is no guarantee for results as the new players will have to be inducted into their new teams and play system. This can sometimes derail a team. One can only wait and see how the signings will fare in the upcoming season. Some teams have new coaches at the helm and that will bring in other dynamics into play.
One can only wait to see how the new coaches at the different teams fare. I’m particularly interested in how Madinda Ndlovu, Mark Harrison, Pio Paul, Maxwell Moyo and Oris Radipotsane do at their respective clubs. They will most certainly be under the microscope. We wait to see if they will sink or swim with the sharks.
The likes of PoliceX1 , Nico United, Orapa United, Extension Gunners cannot be written off and they most certainly be hovering somewhere near the top. They will somehow have an impact on the League standings. Every season we have a surprise package, ala Orapa United last season, and we wait to see who will be the Small man who will act and play BIG, in the process disregarding the script. I for one that we need different League winners and will be rooting for one of the lesser clubs to win the League, however a mammoth task that will be. We also wait to see which of the big guns will disappoint.
There is always a chance that one of the so-called giants could have an off season, which makes the League even more exciting. How I yearn for a, maybe, Township Rollers relegation scramble. It gets all exciting when that happens, both on the field and off field, and get attention from all quarters. Last season we had Notwane, who eventually got relegated, as one of the big name teams that failed to come to the party. We all know how that ended.
As we kick off, we can only hope for the best, and hope for an incident free season that will be fought hard but fairly on the field of play.