Kemoeng pleads with Gunners supporters to avoid complaints
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Friday January 26, 2018 17:00
Tsa Gae (Pty) Limited director, Ludo Kemoeng made the plea during the unveiling of a new sponsorship from Chinese company, Meizu in Gaborone on Wednesday.
Kemoeng said he realised that like in any situation, Gunners have people whose main role is just to make noise and point fingers.
He said such people will always talk about problems that are well known by everyone without offering any solutions or having any input in trying to overcome them.
He said everyone has to play their role in the team.
“A coach cannot be a supporter, a supporter cannot coach and a manager has to manage. If you are not going to be part of the solutions for the club, then you are part of the problem,” he said.
Tsa Gae, which was roped in a year ago to run the management affairs of the club, are also the technical sponsors for Peleng giants through their clothing brand, All Kasi.
“We have those people who keep reminding us of the problems which we are well aware of. We do not want that because we all know which problems affect our club. What we need is solutions so that we move forward,” Kemoeng said.
Kemoeng also gave a progress report, highlighting challenges they faced when assuming management of the club.
He said when they took over, one of their aims was to refresh their squad with young players.
He said before his untimely passing, former chairperson, Phenyo Gothaang had expressed his worry that Gunners had no single player in the national team, which showed lack of quality in the team.
“We have managed to sign five Under-17 players as a way of refreshing our squad. We have also witnessed one player from our squad, Mmoloki Kebalepile being called to the national team,” he said.
One challenge was meeting Club Licensing requirements, which he said was not an easy exercise but in the end, the club managed to acquire the licence and set up an office with a full time general manager, Ian Kebopetswe, who heads the secretariat.
He said they have also managed to set up a commercial wing, which in turn came up with a mobile shop to carry the club’s merchandise around.
Another challenge was the club’s elimination from the Mascom Top 8 in the first hurdle.
He said they are currently in position number eight on the log and need to improve. “We have not been prolific in front of goals and that is something we can still work on. Another lowlight is the inadequate working capital which is not peculiar to Gunners, as well inadequate office equipment and furniture,” he said.
He also said registration of membership is moving at a slow pace despite the numbers they see at the games.
Meanwhile, Kemoeng said they have been talking to agents representing some coaches but have been hampered by inadequate capital. He said they would want to bring a body in who will not only take up the head coach’s role but also help set up the club’s structures.
He said Itumeleng Duiker will remain in the team even if the new coach arrives so that he can learn from him. “Remember that Tumie before we roped him in, he had not coached any team in the Premier League. He will remain part of the technical team,” he said.