Butler previously attacked BFA on social media

The unceremonious dismissal of senior national team Assistant Coach Pio Paulthis week has exposed the BFA’s double standards on issues of conduct.  It is public knowledge that Peter Butler has furiously attacked BFA over a number of issues he was unhappy with but has escaped unhurt, if anything his concerns were swiftly attended to.

It became crystal clear this week that Butler is the association’s blue eyed boy after BFA gave him the go ahead to use Under-23 players in the ongoing COSAFA Cup, an inferior tournament when compared to the Olympic Qualifiers that Paul was tasked with at Under 23. Paul desperately needed the eight players for yesterday’s (Friday) All Africa Games and Olympic qualifier encounter against Zambia.

Paul who has been impressive since taking over the reign as the Under-23 mentor had registered his complaint with the association regarding the inclusion of Under-23 players to the senior national team, but his plea fell on deaf ears as Butler got his way, with the backing of BFA president Tebogo Sebego.   

The 42 year-old former Township Rollers forward Paul, was shown the door on Wednesday, after expressing his displeasure over the selection of players to the national team at the expense of the Under-23 team. The BFA president stated in a statement that the decision was reached based “purely in the interest of protecting the integrity and image of the association.’’

What is startling however is the fact that the senior national team coach Butler is known for his public ranting through his twitter page. Buttler has taken to social media many of his past disgruntlements with the association but the association has never summoned him for a disciplinary hearing, while Paul was given a boot on his first ‘offence’, for committing a similar crime.

President of the association Tebogo Sebego has been accused of fuelling discrimination at Lekidi. Paul’s downfall follows his siding with the Briton mentor. Before making the public remarks, Paul alerted Sebego of the impasse over the players selection, but Sebego issued an instruction which gave Butler lee way to take all the players he needed at the expense of the under 23 team. One of Butler’s deliverables include at least reaching the semi-finals of COSAFA cup.

Paul’s remarks that led to his sacking include expression he made on BTV on Tuesday and on Duma FM on the following day that “people are un-tuning my team ahead of important games after I tuned it.’’

The players who were at the centre of contention are Omaatla Kebaatho, Kabelo Seakanyeng, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Mpho Kgaswane, Lebogang Ditsele, Tapiwa Gadibolae, Onkabetse Makgantai as well as the defender Kaone Van Der Westhuizen. All players have all travelled with the senior team for the COSAFA tournament in South-Africa.

The former BMC coach, Paul, decried that losing the players for a friendly game was unfair since it was at the expense of an important fixture like the All Africa Games qualifiers which is a conduit for qualification of Olympic Games.

Paul’s dismissal comes at a time when he was preparing for a crucial encounter against Zambia for the All Africa Games qualification to be held in Senegal next year. The Olympics will be hosted in Rio the same year.
In the absence of the eight players it has been projected that it is end of the road for the promising team.

The Under 23 team started their campaign with Kenya, in which all the eight players featured. Kebaatho, the Sankoyo Bush Bucks goals poacher scored the three of the four goals in an encounter played over two legs.

There is contention from football pundits on whether he desperately needed all the eight players that he snatched from under-23 as some are likely to warm the bench the entire tournament. “The timing for the dismissal was wrong because it was just two days before a match, and it’s even unlikely that all 8 players will all play tomorrow (Sunday),” said Leatile Mmutle, a Duma FM football host.

The dismal of Paul means the association’s grand-plan to ensure cohesion by automatically appointing the under 23 coach assistant of the senior team, has died prematurely. This now leaves Coach Butler also in jeopardy over his mandate that includes reaching COSAFA semi-finals, qualifying for Chan as well as doing well in the 2017 AFCON qualifiers.

Tshosane rejects Butler’s call
With the Briton coach under immense pressure to prove himself to his bosses at Lekidi, WeekendSport has uncovered that Butler made desperate attempts to engage former national team coach Stanley Tshosane.

Informants have revealed to this paper that Butler has recently sought advice from the now Mogoditshane Fighters coach on how the team can reach maximum performance. However it is understood that Tshosane has rejected Butler on the account that he should have engaged him earlier following his appointment as the new national team coach.