Local coaches decry lack of support
Bonte Seepi | Wednesday April 27, 2016 11:32
“The reason why local coaches normally fail is because of lack of support. Batswana are busy praising foreign coaches for performing well in the league forgetting that locals are the ones who develop the players,” said Kootswele.
Relegated BR Highlanders coach, Kabo Dintwa shared the same sentiments. “We are the ones who struggle to develop the players until they are ready. That is why foreign coaches find it hard to come to smaller clubs. It is because they know very well that such teams cannot provide them with the players they want,” said Dintwa. He said foreign coaches want clubs that have a financial power to buy players who are already stars and are fully developed. Furthermore, Dintwa said foreign coaches are in the country just to make money. He said they do not have time to develop players.
He said if local coaches were afforded the same treatment, they could also produce good results.
“We could be winning if we were provided with what we need like what foreign coaches get. Now it is the opposite; we develop the boys and from there big teams that have money power take them from us. If foreign coaches could join these lower teams, they would fail dismally because they are not used to developing players,” he further said.
Miscellaneous mentor, Russia Chaba feels they are neglected.
“It is very true that we are not recognised. We can’t even recruit players from big teams like Township Rollers, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Gunners and others because the team managements do not support us.
We would rather recruit players from the lower teams and even those who are in lower division leagues.”
He said they are only recognised when teams are broke, but when the teams have money they look for foreign coaches. He said when there is no money the officials will disappear without explaining the situation to the players and it will be the coach’s job to deal with the situation in order to convince the boys to carry on playing. Chaba is one of the few local coaches in the top eight of the beMOBILE Premiership standings.