ECCO mull offloading midfielders

CHAKALISA DUBE
Staff Writer | Friday June 7, 2013 00:00

 

The senior club officials, among them coach Atshele Molapi, his two assistants Blessing Moyo and Tshokolo Nkola as well as welfare manager Alfred Monyamane and manager Moffat Dick, were expected to meet last Tuesday to decide the players who should be placed on transfer, but sources said the meeting did not materialise. Another meeting was scheduled for yesterday and the players to be released should be known over the weekend.

The players who were to be assessed by the club with a view of placing them on transfer are Batisani Josiah, Mmoloki Kafuko and Joseph Joseph. Mmilidzi 'Zecco' Makafiri, who also plays in the centre of the midfield, is said to be safe from the chop after having an excellent season. According to an insider, the management believes that the team needs at least two players who can bring creativity in the middle of the park.  The club technical team is said to be of the view that two of the three midfielders should be released for two creative midfielders to come in.

Josiah and Joseph are most likely to go, according to sources. Josiah has struggled for game time since arriving at the club from Gaborone United early this year.Joseph, despite his undisputed potential, has only played a few games due to his work commitment at the Botswana Police Services where he is employed as a special constable.

This may lead to his departure from Mamoja Diski. Though Kafuko will be among players who will be assessed with a possibility of being placed on transfer. Sources yesterday said that player might survive the chop. The former TAFIC player has done well as Makafiri's deputy throughout the season.  He also played significantly well when he was called in as a makeshift defender on several occasions throughout the season. Yesterday ECCO coach Molapi confirmed that the Tuesday meeting of the technical team and some senior club officials did not materialise.  'We are meeting today (Thursday) to decide which players to release. They have not been identified yet.

'The technical team is of the view that we need creative players in the middle of the park. We lacked creativity in the midfield in most games this season.We will also sign on players in other departments to strengthen the team,' he said.