ECCO officials promise revival

PATRICIA MAGANU
Staff Writer | Friday February 8, 2008 00:00

So far, the defending champions have failed to reproduce the form that made them the first club from the north to win the league last season.

ECCO chairman Mothibedi Lathang said at a press conference this week that the club is ready to defend the title even though some of their most valued players have left while others are injured. He said injuries to key players Tshokolo Nkola and Malepa Bolelang has affected the performance of the team.

'Their injuries affected the team. They were behind the success of the team and that is how we are lagging behind in our quest to defend the title,' he said.

He is happy that they managed to retrain some of their top players during the January transfer window. 'Some of our key players have decided to stay. Tebogo Sembowa, Mandlaenkosi Sibanda and team captain Zecco Makafiri were some of the players who showed no interest to leave ECCO despite efforts from other clubs to sign them. We had actually released Sibanda to Gaborone United (GU) but he came back,' said Lathang.

ECCO retained Bonolo Fraser who was supposed to join Gunners. Though his contract had expired, Nkosinathi Dube has decided to return to ECCO. The defender had crossed over to Township Rollers and played for the Gaborone giants in a friendly game against Bloemfontein Celtic of South Africa.

'His contract had expired in December. He negotiated with Township Rollers and declined their offer and he has since come back to ECCO,' Lathang said.

Meanwhile, coach Barry Daka has dismissed reports that he is leaving ECCO for Gunners. 'I am here. I am not going anywhere,' he said.

ECCO spokesman Thuso Mudongo said that they are trying to build the club's support base in the country.

'Our mandate as the new committee is to increase our support base in the country. Gaborone support has been established,' he said.