Bright under BFA scrutiny
Sport
There is a strong possibility that Major David Bright-the current Senior National Team coach- might become the first casualty under Botswana Football Association (BFA) new administration era with information that the National Executive Committee (NEC) begins to dissect his laid down deliverables.
Sources speaking with WeekendSport indicate that some members of the committee believe Bright was not the kind of appointment they had wanted when employing him late in 2017. It is believed that Bright was supposed to serve as interim coach after the fall of the controversial gaffer, Peter Butler. Sources have also revealed to this publication that Bright and BFA agreed on four major deliverables at the time he inked down a contract.
According to sources, the time is nigh to run a rule over Bright’s tenure as Zebras head coach. The first set goal for the coach was to improve the country’s football rankings. At the time he occupied the seat in September 2017, Botswana was ranked 121 in the world and 35 in Africa. The BFA as led by president Maclean Letshwiti had wanted the gaffer to move the country at least 15 places up the standings.
At the close of last year, the Zebras scenario took a turn for the worst. The country under Bright had dropped to 139 in the world while in Africa it was ranked 40. The second set target was to transport the country to the finals of AFCON 2019. As things stand, the country is languishing at the bottom of group I having collected a single point that came via Burkina Faso clash late last year in Francistown Sports Complex.
It is safe to admit that the former Under-23 coach assumed a depleted squad that had started the 2019 campaign on a back foot with a loss against now group winners Mauritania. Then the squad was drilled by Butler. The team lost their first game by a solitary goal and since then they never recovered.
The NEC, by all accounts, will deem that as a failed aim on the side of Bright. The coach has so far played four AFCON qualifying games, drawing one and losing the other three. His ultimate match will be played at Francistown against Angola that desperately needs three points to reach AFCON finals that has now found a new host in Egypt.
The third well known goal that was given to the Zebras coach was o take the squad to COSAFA finals at least once on his 3 year contract. So far Fakuda as he is well known in football circles has participated only once on the COSAFA tournament. His squad, last year, could only reach the plate finals, a stage two cuts below the major finals.
The ultimate deliverable is to play the finals of another African tournament known as the African Nations Championship (CHAN). The tourney only allows African based players to participate and was first played in 2007. Bright is yet to try his tactics on this tournament. It is not yet clear if BFA president is ready to wield the axe. However, the association has its fair shares of blames that might have contributed immensely on Bright’s laid down blunders.
BFA has to accede to the fact that the quality of football is no longer attractive particularly at the elite league. This is a finding that has been shared to the association by a German philosopher who was invited to institute a study about the local football way before Bright was employed. Observers also state that Bright inherited similar problems that troubled the association from time immemorial. Even during Bright’s tenure players were still boycotting trainings while AFCON qualifying games were on going.
Sport
It’s do or die for Zebras
The senior national team, the Zebras, is currently in Equatorial Guinea to for an African Cup of Nations Qualifiers tie. Before they departed, the team’s coach, Mogomotsi Mpote, had his troops train in Morocco. This was through the agreement between the two countries.
The agreement between the BFA and the Fédération Moroccan Football Association states that the two nations will work together to organize friendly matches between their respective national teams. It also allows the establishment of football camps for the youth categories (U-15, U-17, and U-20), this includes women’s national teams.
The national team has played over 180 minutes in its two qualifying matches against Tunisia and Libya. Currently, the Zebras, Lesotho and Liberia are the only teams that haven’t scored yet in the competition (this is correct by press time on Friday).
Before the match against Equatorial Guinea match, the local boys who were once known as the whipping boys of Africa in the early 2000s, were languishing at the bottom of the log standings in group J. They lost their first match away to Libya on June 1, 2022. However, they managed to salvage a point against Tunisia last year.
Before the team left for Equatorial Guinea, coach Mpote urged his players to focus on keeping their hopes of making a return trip to the AFCON finals alive after an 11 year absence since the maiden appearance in 2012. He noted that they would not allow their opponents to score and would ensure that they would get a draw.
Despite the various changes that have occurred in the two countries’ football landscape, the two teams have only met once before. In 2010, the local boys defeated the Equatorial Guinea team in a friendly match, which ended in an emphatic win for the visitors. Since then, the two sides have realised different fortunes in FIFA rankings, with Equatorial Guinea ranked 51 places above the Zebras.
Meanwhile, in their last six games, Guinea has only managed to win one of them. They drew with Rwanda and Togo in September 2022 friendlies. They have found the back of the net just twice in their six games. On the other hand, the Zebras, won one match against Zambia and lost four on their way to finishing at the bottom of the group with four points. At the conclusion of their previous AFCON campaign, the local boys traveled to Zambia and secured a draw.
MPOTE CONFIDENT
Despite the recent results of the Guinean team, which have only managed to draw with Rwanda and Togo in their last six matches, coach Mpote is still confident that his team will perform well against the hosts.
According to the head coach, the local boys have the necessary skills and resources to perform well against any country. He noted that the team’s coaches have been studying abroad to gain a deeper understanding of the various aspects of football.
“Tactically they should also be ready. We need your (Botswana fans) usual support, when we come back from Equatorial Guinea, we will go to Francistown, and we will need you. You are our 12th player, and you are very important to us.”
OBED ITANI CHILUME STADIUM CERTIFIED
This week, the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) Tuelo Serufho revealed that the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium will host the return leg of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the local boys and Equatorial Guinea. The venue had initially failed an inspection test conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). However, following the completion of the necessary works, the stadium was allowed to host the match.
According to BNSC Chief, Tuelo Serufho, the various requirements that the stadium must meet included having a designated parking area for the media and spectators, as well as having signage that will guide the spectators. He also noted that the venue now has a world-class media area.
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Sport
Orange injects P350 000 into Phikwe marathon
Mobile network Orange Botswana is committed to supporting the development of local sport. Through its sponsorship, the company will be able to promote and market the sport. According to Maano Masisi, the company believes that sport can unite people from different backgrounds.
He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
The Selebi Phikwe Marathon is scheduled to take place on July 29, 2023. It is expected that it will attract international, regional, and social runners. A total of P216 000 has been allocated for the prize money for the first ten places in the 42.2 km race. For the 15km and 10km races, the LOC will give away prizes to the first five places.