Rollers foreign trio face Nikola chop
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Township Rollers’ three imported players are likely not to get any game time in the coming season as head Coach, Nikola Kavazovic prepares to shuffle his squad. WeekendSport has it on good authority that one of the players has already been told, via text to terminate his contract.
The said players are Ugandan born Irvin Ntenge, former Jomo Cosmos striker Mthokozisi Msomi together with South Africa’s skillful player Tshepo Matete. Matete, informants say is the most likely to leave. He in fact has already been sent a text message from the coach, telling him to voluntarily terminate his contract with immediate effect. “Coach Kavazovic has sent him a message to terminate his contract, he is now surplus to requirement,” an informer told this publication.
Matete was signed, not necessarily to play but to entertain followers of a club that has now won country wide appeal. It is said the decision to axe the players solely comes from the coach who has now won a double for the Jagdish Shah project. But the teams’ insistency and promise to make a loud impact last season has of course bore fruits. However, the trio, in Kavazovic’s eyes, has failed to stand strong and therefore have no future at Rollers.
Signed and captured under the multi-millionaire project of Jagdish Shah, the players were recruited to embody the present and future of the club. But all of them are seen to have played a little role in pushing Rollers to the top. Msomi, for instance, failed to live up to expectations and is rather remembered for engaging in altercations that earned him a suspension.
Ntenge is one player who has played more minutes compared to any other player. But both Matete and Msomi were making appearances from the bench and it now appears Township Rollers’ time is speeding them towards the past. However some believe that the talent of the big three, along with striker Joel Mogorosi, who is also out of favour have made the case for Rollers to make headline impact, particularly in the ongoing the CAF competition where Rollers is on second position after playing two games. Kavazovic agrees that as a unit they have and could still find an edge as the competition drags on.
Many still do not know why the Rollers coach will want the players out of the team, but speculation is rife that all failed to awaken their sense of competitiveness enhanced by their reported playing pedigree. Rollers spokesperson, Bafana Pheto could not be drawn to comment, rather referring all enquiries to Kavazovic and the team President Jagdish Shah. The duo’s phones were off air at the time of going to print.
It is however a costly exercise to axe players who were still on contract. But sources say Kavazovic has won everything without much of their input, and it is why it was easy for him convince Shah. Irvin Ntenge was earning a salary of P 17 000 with a housing allowance of P2000. Both Matete and Msomi were paid P 25 000 every month.
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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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