Cash-strapped BFA green lights COSAFA trip
Kabelo Boranabi | Thursday August 24, 2017 16:24
Speaking to Mmegi Sport last month, the outgoing BFA chief executive officer, Ookeditse Malesu said national team assignments severely deplete the association’s coffers as the BFA spends around P350,000 on every assignment.However, BFA marketing and communications manager, Tumo Mpatane said despite the association battling financial constraints, the need to send the team to the fifth edition of the regional tournament is paramount in order for need to support the women’s game’. “Yes, we do not have exuberant cashflow, but it is important that we support the women’s game. Hence why we made arrangements that the team would play in the tournament,” he said.
Mpatane further said the exposure the team would get at the tournament would help the technical team prepare for future assignments. “Our vision is that we need to give (international) exposure to the players that can carry us on forward. It is important we expose our (women) teams to regular action as this will help build stronger sides for the future,” he said.
Team coach, Gaolethoo ‘Ronaldo’ Nkutlwisang will have a rather difficult task of naming her squad as there is little action in local women’s football scenes after the proposed regional league format failed to kick-off as anticipated.
Ronaldo would announce her 26-member squad before the end of this week that will report for camp on Saturday. The squad would be trimmed to 20 players before the tournament that kicks-off on September 13 to 24 in Bulawayo. The Zebras has never reached the semi-finals of the competition.