Not all that gloomy for Galaxy
Botswana Football League ( BFL) side Jwaneng Galaxy might have gone the entire season without a trophy but the team has sought victories that had put them in the history books and brought about their shine when darkness creeped in.
Although the team had desperately wanted to defend their league trophy, they are confident that what they have achieved this season is satisfactory and has taken the team’s name to new heights.
Club mouthpiece, Tankiso Morake believes the club had to level up this season as hard as it is, they are proud they did the tough bit already despite the disappointment that they won’t play in the CAF competitions next season.
“Expectation was for us to win the league, we didn’t do well but we have to appreciate the positives; for the first time we qualified for the CAF Champions League group stages and it’s a level above our league and we should be applauded.”
Morake however believes that the CAF experience took a toll on the squad and it has somehow impacted their performance in the domestic league. “We didn’t have a starting XI, the coach rotated players a lot as a way of managing fatigue.”
Galaxy on the other hand, has lost a lot of players as Morake indicated, Benson Mangolo and Lethogonolo Chenjela dumped them for Security Systems, Thero Setsile, Lebogang Ditsele and Karabo Phiri left for Gaborone United while Kutlwelo Mpolokang joined Township Rollers.
Moreover, Morake is of the view that they have also put their name above everyone in local football when they won the “Team of the year” award at the Botswana Sports Awards held three weeks ago at Baisago.
“That’s a national award that has not been won by any other football team in recent history so we have done our part and we need to look back as management and make plans for our future.”
Looking back, Morake has admitted that they have lacked the consistency this season and the Orange FA Cup has eluded them once more after they were knocked out by Debswana First Division South ( DFDS) side, Matebele.
“This cup has not been kind to us, we have been knocked out in the quarterfinals for the third straight year by BDF XI, Gaborone United and now Matebele.
“We are disappointed, we wanted to win the FA Cup so that we play in the Confederations Cup, we are very disappointed and from here we have to improve a lot as a team.”
Their CAF campaign ended in the group stage when they managed to only get a single point from 6 games, losing the other five games.
The team management will over the weekend convene at Avani Resort where they will reflect over their season and revamp their strategy going forward and drive further the transformation programme as well as look at the ownership model that the club is willing to adopt.