BFA, Tshosane start contract talks

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Friday September 30, 2011 00:00

 

Mmegi Sport can reveal that Tshosane met with BFA president, David Fani, and acting chief executive officer (CEO), Sonnboy Sethibe, to kick start the negotiations. Indications are that the talks are going on harmoniously and should be concluded without much ado.

Tshosane confirmed meeting the two officials and said he hoped the issue would soon be resolved.

'We started the talks this week and all I'm waiting for is the association to table their offer then I'll have a look at it.

But obviously having come this far with the team, it is my desire to continue to play a part in the development of football in our country. But everything will now depend on how the negotiations progress,' Tshosane said.

Tshosane's contract ends after the Zebras' Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) debut in Equatorial Guinea/Gabon and previous statements by the association were that they would only attend to the issue after the finals next January.

Although BFA vice president (technical) ,Dintle Mphele, had earlier reiterated that contract talks would only be held after the continental showpiece, he later confirmed that they were making headway regarding the issue.

'Of course, I can't say we've reached anything tangible but we are discussing it with him. We need to treat it carefully.

When you are in discussions and you start talking you end up rocking the boat but I'm sure we'll reach a conclusion,' he said.

Tshosane signed his current two-year deal in February last year and BFA took the brunt that came with such a decision that was met with much opposition. The former BDF XI coach's critics were left with an egg on the face when Botswana became the first country to qualify for the next edition of AFCON.

The Zebras won five of their opening six Group K qualifiers before drawing against Malawi in both fixtures. Their only loss in the campaign came in the last game of the qualifiers against Togo in Lome early this month, but the team had already qualified for the AFCON finals.

The 2012 AFCON opens on January 21 in Equatorial Guinea, with the final in Gabon on February 12.Tshosane and his charges hope that their proposed date with either Senegal or Cameroon on the weekend of 7-11 October will materialise. BFA want to ensure the FIFA international friendly matches date is utilised. They had hoped to secure a friendly that would have been part of the Independence Day celebrations this weekend, but the association failed to secure one.