Ostriches crack after severe plucking in Top 8 Final
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday March 9, 2018 21:13
The Orapa outfit have played three consecutive finals, but the past final will go down as one of the worst in their history after they were easily dismantled by Popa. The heavy defeat has exposed the Ostriches and it appears the technical team has been unsettled.
Several technical managers are expected to appear before the club’s disciplinary committee, and at the forefront will be the club assistant coach Daniel ‘Chico’ Nare, who is currently on suspension.
According to the club spokesperson, Kabo William, Nare has been acting in an unprofessional manner during some league games since the new coach, Bongani Mafu, arrived. He said on different occasions, the assistant coach ignored his pre-match duties and at times, arrived late for games.
He said after the Top 8 final, Nare was in jovial mood ignoring the disastrous defeat and that has caused them to question his commitment to the club.
“Nare is suspended and he will appear before the disciplinary hearing today. The club has a problem with the way he conducts himself as the assistant coach,” William said yesterday.
“There have been disciplinary issues with the assistant coach that the club does not condone and it seems after countless times of warnings the problem still persists.”
“He ignores his primary duties as the assistant coach and sometimes he comes late for the games. The club believes these are the elements that cost us games and the club is not happy.”
Coach Bongani Mafu, goalkeeper Mosimanegape Robert and a few other players are also in line to face disciplinary action. Mafu will appear to answer to why he failed to control the technical team ahead of the game.
Apparently, Nare altered the line-up and some players who did not train ahead of the final, were on the starting lineup. “His (Mafu) actions cost the club the final. He trusts his assistant coach too much that he allows him to override his decisions and as such the club feels he is failing to control his technical team,” William said.
Mafu denied reports that he had been summoned by the club.
“I am not in a position to answer on that, I only see these issues on social media. The club has not summoned me for anything. Only until then I will be able to comment. As it stands, I agree we had a huge problem and that problem is we lost the final to Township Rollers; everything else I treat it as hearsay,” Mafu said.
Nare maintained he had done nothing wrong.
“I heard over the radio through the club PRO that I have been suspended, without a hearing and without a letter coz in simple terms, Mr chair was addressing the players not me.
I now don’t know what my defence will be at that board hearing because I have been tried, judged and sentenced in front of the players so my cause of natural justice has been compromised to say the least. I reiterate that I did nothing and I stand to be dismissed a free soul and am proud of the contribution I did to this team thus far,” he told local media this week.
After a pourous display in the goalposts, keeper, Robert has gone AWOL. William said the goalkeeper has not turned up for training since the Saturday game, and will therefore be summoned before the disciplinary committee once he returns.
Onkabetse Makgantai, Lesego Galenamotlhale, Tendai Nyumasi and Kealeboga Molebatsi are also in trouble for remaining behind against the will of the club after the final. However, the quartet has since reported for training.