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Is Rollers-Gunners still a blockbuster affair?

The 2021-22 football season has finally arrived. It does not come at a better time than this one after two years of no action.  With the tune changing around football circles, a game between Township Rollers and Extension Gunners will never go unnoticed in the calendar of Botswana football.

The two teams, which enjoy the largest following in Botswana, are billed to headline the start of the season. The fixture, however, comes after almost two years without playing football, and it is still unknown if they still carry the same significance and meaning in the future of Botswana football. With many followers ready to quench their football thirst, all eyes, however, will be on rather what happens than who wins the match.

Forget about the comparison that continuously stirs followers` minds about which player is better than the other. While Rollers speedy winger Edwin Moalosi and Extension Gunner’s pacey recruit, Lesego Lubinda, are likely to determine the game’s outcome, the instrumental men happen to be in the midst of the park. The two teams are about to embark on a story where Rollers have already been labelled as potential league champions because of their massive recruitment. At the same time, Gunners are relegation candidates following a lacklustre performance in the transfer market.

The Peleng outfit started preparation very late, with speculations of an absent chairman not inspiring confidence. The question is whether the fixture between the two sides is as prominent as it used to be? The fixture had the duo of former Rollers man Lawrence Majawa and Captain Maano Ditshupo ruling the midfield whenever Kenny Pilatwe and Lesego Molemogi faced them. Yet, there is striking mutual respect between them and a similarity that, for all the focus on goalscorers, may make them the central actors in the drama expected to unfold next weekend at the National Stadium.

Many new faces have come out. Rollers still have Ditshupo, Segolame Boy and Lemponye Tshireletso, while Gunners will enter the field with recruits but have veteran player Dirang Moloi in their mix. These are the players who used to face each other in the heart of midfield, the men entrusted with bringing an identity to their teams, whose job it is not just to play better; and make others play well.

Rollers Captain Maano Ditshupo is likely to continue his dominance to bring out the team’s ideologue — bright, opinionated and analytical, the man; former Rollers head coach Nicola Kavazovic once said of him: “I cannot imagine Popa without him.” On the other side, Gunners’ Moloi is the man who will do the bidding on the pitch for Gunners – intelligent, communicative, quietly authoritative, bringing calm to a team that plays at breakneck speed.

Both groups of midfielders from these teams are undoubtedly natural talents: insightful and passionate about the game, awe at the passion it provokes and assured how it can be played. They are teammates and former fellow travellers for the Zebras.  During the past season, Rollers coaches said Segolame Boy, another instrumental midfielder, was his best player of the campaign. And Gunners coaches, on the other hand, have merely avoided rotations on, but when big games come, it is Moloi he seeks to protect first.

For Maano and Rollers, it is a matter of beginning a new formula in a new revolution in his role. As he embraced it, he had not failed it. Moloi might seem fatigued, but his dangerous moves on the last third of Rollers might still haunt the Gaborone West giants. Boy will be key in orchestrating final passes to the top man, but even if he is not there, Lemponye Tshireletso can equally put up with the role. The question then is whose role will prosper.

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BFA slow-stepping efforts in Wilson’s quest for citizenship?

18th March 2024

A quarter of a year ago, Zebras’ strategist, Didier Gomes Da Rosa, took a decisive step by enlisting midfielder Brandon Wilson, who flexes his soccer prowess at Ha Noi Football Club (FC) in Vietnam.

Yet, the 27-year-old sensation found himself benched before the game even started, due to his Australian nationality, despite his roots firmly planted in Gaborone, Botswana.

Fast forward to today, and Wilson’s name is still missing from the latest Zebras’ lineup for the forthcoming four-nation friendly extravaganza set to unfold in Madagascar.

Pundits from the local football arena argue that this tournament, starring The Zebras alongside Madagascar, Rwanda, and Burundi as hosts, presented a golden ticket for Wilson to unveil his skills, merge his playstyle with his teammates, and pass down his seasoned insights to the squad.

Looking ahead, The Zebras face a rugged path in their 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Group, battling titans like Algeria, Somalia, Guinea, and Uganda—teams studded with Europe-based talents. Integrating Wilson into the team now would be nothing short of strategic.

Amidst this saga, a ray of hope shined through a High Court ruling, suggesting the Botswana government’s nod towards dual citizenship, potentially giving the BFA the nudge it needed to expedite Wilson’s case.

Yet, as 2023 unfurls, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Anna Mokgethi, hinted at a six-month timeline to legislating this change. “We’re laying down the legal and procedural groundwork to enable dual citizenship. This process will span at least six months.

This waiting game could be pegged to aligning with the court of appeal’s decision.

“This buffer is designed to ensure a seamless transition, enabling talents like Wilson to clinch their Botswana passports and don the Zebras jersey,”

On the V.League 1 Table (Vietnam) – 2023/24 front, Wilson’s squad, Ha Noi FC, is holding sixth place after 13 showdowns, boasting 19 points—a commendable feat for their freshman year in Vietnam’s Elite League.

Since his leap to Ha Noi FC on September 5, 2023, Wilson has left his mark on 15 matches across domestic and AFC Champions League arenas, an impressive feat for his inaugural season.

In a recent WeekendSport dialogue, Da Rosa sung praises of Wilson’s gameplay. “Wilson’s mastery of the field, his spatial awareness, and ball reception, earmark him as a midfield marvel. His strategic positioning is a lesson in discipline, a skill set our team can greatly benefit from.

“He’s a crucial cog in our quest toward the 2026 World Cup dream,” Da Rosa said.

 

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Kemoeng’s departure opens doors for School sports – BOSETU

18th March 2024

The departure of Kitso Kemoeng from the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture has been met with a sigh of relief by many, particularly by the Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU). Kemoeng’s tenure as Permanent Secretary was marked by a lack of progress and engagement on the issue of reinstating school sports, which has been a crucial aspect of child development in Botswana.

BOSETU had accused Kemoeng of being a stumbling block to the resuscitation of school sports, citing his arrogant and anti-engagement attitude towards the issue. His transfer to the Botswana Public Service College has been seen as a positive development by the union, as it signals a clear message that non-delivery and lack of vision will not be tolerated within the government.

The union has expressed confidence in the new Permanent Secretary, Bright John, who is expected to bring a fresh perspective and understanding of the importance of sports and culture in the holistic development of children. The absence of school sports in Botswana has had a detrimental impact on the youth and the development of sports in the country, and it is imperative that immediate action is taken to reinstate these programs.

According to BOSETU the departure of Kemoeng from the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture is a step in the right direction towards reviving school sports in Botswana. The union and other stakeholders are hopeful that under the leadership of Bright John, progress will be made in ensuring the well-being and development of the youth through sports. It is time to breathe a sign of relief and look forward to a brighter future for school sports in Botswana.

 

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Will Makhwengwe’s exit halt Tafic’s remarkable streak?

24th February 2024

The abrupt severance of ties between Tafic Football Club and its erstwhile commander-in-chief, Philemon Makhwengwe, colloquially celebrated as the “Spin Doctor”, has sent ripples through the football aficionado community, given his laudable stewardship in the 2023/24 Botswana Premier League (BPL) crusade. The narrative of Matjimenyenga, as Tafic is affectionately dubbed, narrates a saga of resilience, having faced the ignominy of relegation to the Debswana First Division North on two occasions prior.

The chronicle of their fall from grace in 2018, settling at a dismal 14th place with a record marred by more losses than victories, delineates a club in dire need of strategic revival. Fast-forward to the present campaign, and the transformation under Makhwengwe’s aegis has been nothing short of remarkable. At the cessation of 16 rounds, Tafic perched at the fifth position with 24 points is a testament to an emboldened renaissance.

However, the plot thickened on the 20th of February, 2024, as Tafic pronounced the departure of Makhwengwe from his coaching pedestal via a Facebook communiqué, a move that bewildered the football-watching public. Discrepancies surfaced, with reports attributing his departure to discord with the club’s upper echelons over proposed adjustments within the technical team, painting a picture of internal discord.

Makhwengwe, a tactician revered for his prowess in architecting footballing triumphs, has been instrumental in Tafic’s ascent from the quagmire of league standings to a commendable sixth position. This leaves the footballing realm in suspense over Tafic’s trajectory post-Makhwengwe, especially after their recent conquest over Gaborone United, thrusting them into a formidable league position.

Amidst this backdrop of controversy, where Makhwengwe’s own assertions conflict with the official narrative – oscillating between resignation and dismissal – the saga unfolds with layers of intrigue. The spectacle calls into question the capacity of Tafic to sustain their impressive run. The precedence set by Cote D’Ivoire’s astonishing turnaround at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a managerial upheaval offers a glimmer of unpredictability inherent in football, though juxtaposing club football dynamics with international fixtures holds its own set of complexities.

As Tafic grapples with the loss of one of Botswana’s most esteemed coaching figures, the overarching question looms: How will this episode influence their fortunes as the season wades into its critical junctures? With the BPL already witnessing a carousel of coaching departures, Tafic’s saga adds a compelling chapter to the unfolding narrative of a league characterized by flux and fervor. The departure of Makhwengwe not only marks a pivotal moment for Tafic but underscores the perennial dance between stability and upheaval in the quest for footballing glory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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