While others tighten belts, Galaxy loosens
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday September 11, 2020 13:08
A first of its kind, the season was cut short with just 20 rounds of league football played.
Teams were to endure more than 28,800 minutes of play, sweating for literally nothing. The just-ended league season had no prize money as clubs have nothing to show for their sweat.
The lack of prize money has added more woes to the already hollowed clubs’ pockets. As clubs are trying to minimise their spending, league champions Jwaneng Galaxy are splashing the cash.
The club acquired the services of season football administrator, Bennett Mamelodi to serve as the chief executive officer.
Veteran tactician, Matshidiso ‘Sexton’ Kowa joined this week as technical director. But what is the cost of the recruitments in these parched conditions?
“Sexton Kowa is here to look at our structures and help model a competitive side.
We are talking player and coaching development here. We all know the calibre of the man we have just hired. He is well known for producing very good players and has a track record of nurturing youngsters. It is high time we stop talking commercialisation but to walk it.
We should be coming up with ways to bring money in to our football clubs. It is not about how much a club spends on the recruitments, but it is about the direction we should be taking as the football fraternity. What is important is looking at the areas that need to be invested on,” Galaxy’s public relations officer, Tankiso Morake told Mmegi Sport.
“These are having development structures for both players and coaches and business side, the secretariat of the club that will help bring income. In these positions, you need the right personnel to bring results.
We are a very ambitious club. We will play in the CAF Champions League next season. We will be competing with clubs that are far apart from us in terms of administration.
To compete with them on the field we should be at par with them outside the field. This is the direction we have taken as a club, results matter but sustainability of the club is more important.”
The Jwaneng-based side has reportedly captured the signature 2018-2020 Player of the Season, Thero Setsile. The club will be competing in the CAF Champions League for the first time and looks ready to compete for big names to beef up their squad.
The club’s activity is sending warning shots to the traditional big spenders, who are yet to make a move. The clubs are keeping coffers tight due to the uncertainty on the future of the league. The Galaxy Stars have been bold to flex muscles in the market thus far.
In their five-year stay in the elite league, they have won a league championship once, a league cup and have made two-cup final appearances.
Former FIFA development officer, Ashford Mamelodi who has been conducting workshops for clubs on commercialisation said Galaxy’s move is in the right direction.
“These are challenging times and we have to accept it. Local clubs need more than can give. Unfortunately football cannot stop, even in Europe where they are playing there are costs.
Those clubs have been impacted also but they are playing. My view is that football does not end in the 90 minutes of play. Authorities should be looking at how to improve the game.
We know the situation with our clubs but if the resources come their way, they should make most of those (resources),” Mamelodi said.
“We have a lot of issues that include stadiums and others. This is the time we should be addressing those issues.
We should prepare so when the games resume we are not caught off guard. I think resources permitting football should not stop, football is not only about the 90 minutes of play.”