BFA faces Mpote dilemma
Mqondisi Dube | Friday April 26, 2019 11:58
The BFA is looking for a new man after sacking David Bright in February, with all pointing to a coach from abroad to take over.
However, there might be a dilemma if Mpote does exceedingly well in his new role. Already he has beaten Seychelles in the opening round of the African Nations Championships (CHAN), breaking a lengthy unbeaten run. Although Seychelles is lowly ranked at 190th, the Zebras needed the win to boost morale.
They travel to the Island nation on May 11, 2019 for the return leg, and if Mpote wins, he will set up a potentially tough date against Zambia in the second round.
Mpote will also lead the Zebras at the COSAFA Castle Cup in May, and has been presented with a golden opportunity to upset BFA’s applecart. If the Orapa United coach excels, the BFA might be thrown into a dilemma.
Seemingly, a new man for the job has been identified, but Mpote can raise a disturbing but firm hand for the job.
He said his focus is to do well with the Zebras and is not bothered on who will be appointed to the full time job at the end of the day. “I am happy at Orapa. Whatever comes will be a bonus. It is up to the BFA to decide,” Mpote said.
The former Township Rollers coach is on cloud nine after his first ever win at senior level. His first assignment ended in a 1-0 loss to Angola last month, but the CHAN win is likely to galvanise him to aim higher.
The BFA chief executive officer, Mfolo Mfolo, could only say they have to wait for the recruitment process to finish, when asked if their search for a Zebras coach is cast in stone, and will continue even if Mpote excels. “As a HR principle, the post has been advertised, so it will be most prudent to let the exercise see the light of the day,” Mfolo said. Mpote inherited a Zebras side on a free-fall, having gone six official matches without a win, dating back to June 2018. The Zebras rankings were at 148, but are likely to improve slightly after the Seychelles win.