Wanderers deliver on promises
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday May 24, 2019 12:14
The 46-year-old Wanderers’ history was re-written in the past weekend when the Palapye side booked a seat in the next Premiership campaign with a 4-2 aggregate victory against Jwaneng Fighters.
Boyo ‘Oris’ Radipotsane’s Wanderers took a sharp take off in the initial leg of the playoffs at the Fighters backyard in Jwaneng with an emphatic 2-0 win, courtesy of Comfort Dikupa and Tshepo Baipoledi goals.
It was all fanfare in Pilikwe, a few kilometres outside Palapye, where supporters packed the grounds beyond capacity on Saturday to witness the locals earning a deserved inaugural premiership rise.Two rapid goals from Captain Katlego Mpoeleng and Master Masitara in the 28th- and 29th-minutes were enough to vanish hopes of a Fighters comeback in the return leg.
Fighters scored two goals to equalise, but the writing was already on the wall that Wanderers affectionately known as ‘Wandi Wandi’ to hordes of its supporters had made it.
Wanderers chairperson, Nelson Kgosipheko said his side owed the large part of their success to their main sponsors, the Morupule Colliery Mine, a part of the Debswana group.
He said their three-year plan seemed almost unachievable in their first Debswana First Division North (FDN) season.
Despite the presence of reputable former Zebras coach, Major David Bright in their dugout, they found themselves fighting the relegation conundrum.
He said the mine increased its support, and it enabled them to make a few additions in the second season and the team was unfortunate to miss out, making the playoffs.
They lost their last league match to another mining outfit, Sua Flamingoes that proceeded to last season’s playoffs. The gold and black outfit would overhaul its technical team with the arrival of Radipotsane and former Motlakase coach, Pule Mogotsi, assisting him.
Goalkeeper coach, Segakolodi Ntime completed the technical team. They signed battle-hardened players like former Sankoyo Bush Bucks marksman, Gosaitse Manuel, Master Masitara from neighbouring Miscellaneous in Serowe, Katlego Ralegoreng and Tshephang Boithatelo amongst others. “We gained confidence in ourselves and our dream became more realistic. We went all out to secure an experienced technical team and players that would guide us to the premiership,” revealed the excited Kgosipheko.
Wanderers would quench thirst for the supporters who have been starved of premiership football in Palapye since Motlakase Power Dynamos bowed out in the 2015-2016 season.
Chouka, as Motlakase are affectionately known, were, for a long period, the hope of Palapye until they were suffocated by perennial financial headaches. The hopes of Palapye football lovers diminished when Motlakase’s promised stadium was put under the hammer. Serowe Sports Complex has forever been the homeground for regional teams.
The starvation of top-flight football in Palapye was evident with their massive turnout at the weekend promotional encounter. It seems the new-kid-on-the-premiership-block will restore the long lost hopes for the people of Palapye, popularly known as Palapians.
Wanderers’ promises come in a similar package as that of the likes of Orapa United, Jwaneng Galaxy and BCL Nico United that were backed by mines.
Kgosipheko revealed that chief amongst their plans was to ensure home matches are played in Palapye, to build a strong support home base.
“Our support base has grown exponentially here, and we want the people of Palapye to own this team and enjoy premiership matches at home,” declared the Wanderers chairperson.
He further revealed that their potential homeground could be the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) Stadium. He said they have opened negotiations with the institution to use the ground.
He said after the road to the elite league came to fruition their new short-term mandate was to maintain the Premiership status in the first season.
“We don’t want to put pressure on the team. We want to be a very competitive side in future, but we will take things easy. First, we have to settle in the league, feel the heat, adapt and then we will go all out,” he said.
Kgosipheko said they were looking to make at least five additions with the guidance of the technical team to bolster their charges for the Premiership campaign.
He said after adapting to the rigorous Premiership they would look into bringing silverware that has been elusive since formation in 1973.
Wanderers have for the better part of their existence played in Palapye’s Second Division League.
“After we learn and perfect the upper league we will, in future, prepare a team that will fight to bring silverware to Palapye. We intend to be the pride of this village,” he said excitedly.