Bright eyes AFCON finals
Sport
Good experience, more ambition. Coach Major David Bright is such a good communicator that he could almost write the headlines for the media himself. In four words, the Zebras head coach summed up perfectly the 20-man AFCON Cup squad he announced on Wednesday of this week. He has gone for youth and talent but he never forgot maturity and experience. But the average age of this group of players is only 26, which is the youngest in the last 10 years for Botswana.
Proof of the depth that the Botswana has, Major Bright has left some big names out: Segolame Boy, Bonolo Fraizer, Ofentse Nato and Jerome Ramatlhakwane are not going to Angola while Omaatla Kebatho and Edwin Moalosi are injured. Bright might come to regret some of those decisions, but he had his reasons. Boy has never been as good for the national team as for Township Rollers and Bright might have lost patience quickly.
However, the Zebras mentor is optimistic that his squad will reach AFCON finals to be held in Cameroon next year. This is even backed by the fact that two teams from each group will automatically qualify. With this in mind, it was also pleasing to hear the coach acknowledge the lack of cohesion in the attacking third and pledging to improve on the game against foreign XI ON Tuesday. The evidence night point to a conservative squad constrained by Stone Age play and their thinking.
Under former coach Peter Butler, Lebogang Ditsile appeared as an excellent footballer, made his reputation as an unanswerable force in the midfield. Kabelo Seakanyeng is overlapping in the side territory. For the Zebras, he plays on his own, a more withdrawn role that often exposes him. With the Zebras’s midfield core so deep, the creative responsibility falls to wide men who are essentially denied any opportunity to apply sustained pressure because they do not see enough of the ball.
By extension the centre-forward is condemned to 90 minutes running in the wrong direction chasing down opposition full backs, this has been the story of the Zebras even at the historic AFCON 2012 participation. But there are indications that Bright is looking to alter his tactics a little bit. The man of the match often time displayed by Seakanyeng, gelling well with strikers inspires faith that a more improved attacking scheme is being crafted.
However, continuing calls of attacking football are still pouring. There is need to identify this as a deeply fulfilling viewing experience. The dominant school of thought still lays the blame for Botswana’s seemingly travails at the quality of players at Bright’s disposal. Yet Onkabetse Makgantai continues to show composure and slotting home with his left foot that there is technique in his feet.
But the question still looms, Will Mogakolodi Tsotso Ngele bounce to his intriguing form on time? Before he experienced a late dip in form, he teased teams on his own. He may not have the same explosive change of pace. But the league fomer goal scorer, now with South Africa’s Chippa United, Thatayaone Kgamanyane has the necessary authority and if he lives to attain his form together with Teenage Orebonye, they might be heartbeat of the Zebras at this AFCON qualify edition.
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AFRICA’S RECOVERY: Sports as game changer
The year 2022 witnessed unprecedented phenomena. Several Africans- Gotytom Gebreslase, Sharon Lokedi, Victor Kiplangat, Tamarit Tola and many others- swept the World’s marathons records.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting control measures implemented in several countries, led to many high-level sports competitions being cancelled or shelved, the Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games was moved to 2026.
Founder and Executive Chairman, African Sports and Creative Institute, Will Mabiakop, says the inability to hold traditional and amateur sports events have had a serious effect on public health overall, including mental health, sparking a revolution whereby athletes began to talk more openly about stress, mental overload and performance anxiety.
“Africa is home to the fastest growing economies before the crisis, no longer on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). COVID-19 deepened interdependence between SDGs, making them harder to achieve, especially SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality_ as the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on poorer countries, and heavier burdens (such as care work) fell to women.”
Mabiakop stresses that as policymakers contemplate actions to speed up recovery and build resilience, they must argue that sports and creative businesses should play a central feature in this effort.
“The sports economy worldwide is estimated at 5% of GDP, but only 0.5% in Africa. If exploited, Africa’s sports and creative industries can offer policymakers innovative solutions. Especially, as regards job creation, and providing employment to the 15 million people entering the job market annually.”
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY DO THIS?
By leveraging the two-for-one concept: past studies shown that a 1% growth in the economy delivers a 2% job increment in this sector (these ratios are calculated using data from 48 African countries and adjusted to the reality of the sports economy in Africa by the authors). There are between 30 and 50 job types, in sports and creative industries, respectively. These jobs do not fade away with the first major shock.
Mabiakop indicated that policymakers can use these industries to tackle multiple crises- jobs, poverty, and climate risks. Sports diplomacy- defined as communication, representation and negotiation in or through the prism of sports- has proven effective in building inclusive and cohesive societies. Moreover, sports and the creative industry can support better mental health and well-being, both important for productivity.
“Policymakers can also be true to the game by leveraging culture and tradition to celebrate identity and reap commercial value in sports, textiles and jewelry. Creative sectors allow deeper connection with culture, are not easily copied and provide great economic potential.”
He said supporting grassroots sports has powerful distributional effects. “Fortunately, technology has made reaching wide audiences easier, generating higher rates of success when talent is discovered.”
However, Mabiakop held that potential pitfalls must be highlighted. “First avoid build it and they will come policies with infrastructures denuded from the rest of the ecosystem. Like the many sports stadiums left largely unused.”
“Policymakers must remain mindful of how these sectors move the needle in human capital development. Also, align the requisite public policies needed for progress from grassroots participation to professional sports, and even to international sporting events. They should also support investment instruments to render these sectors performant.”
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