Gunners set ball rolling for new season
Extension Gunners will this weekend start engaging players as preparations for the coming season start. With a few other local football sides slowly returning to training in preparation for next season, the Peleng giants are yet to assemble but will begin the process of engaging players this weekend.
On Wednesday, the club sent out an advert for vacancies ranging from playing personnel down to the technical team. In the advert, the club invited suitable candidates for positions of goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders and strikers.
The club is also looking for a head coach, assistant coach and a physical trainer. Speaking to Mmegi Sport this week, the club spokesperson, Gerald Mahumba said the advert is part of their preparations for next season.
He said despite advertising a number of vacancies, it does not necessarily mean they are building from scratch but just making sure they have absorbed all necessary tools and requirements before the commencement of the season.
“The commencement of the season requires that we make all necessary preparations. We are not necessarily starting from scratch, but just putting our house in order so that by the time the season commences, we know where we are. We still have the players and the coach, but that does not mean we cannot advertise posts so that we see who is interested to join us and take it from there,” Mahumba explained.
He said although some of the players’ contracts have expired, they still have others whose agreements are running.
He said through the team manager, the club will this weekend start engaging all the players and the technical team to map the way forward.
He added the advert will also help on issues of compliance, especially with regards to the employment of foreign players and coaches.
He confirmed that young coach Wame ‘Pepezino’ Mokoke is still with the club after joining early this month from Molepolole City Stars.
Mokoke replaced veteran coach, Stanley Mwaanga, who left to join TAFIC in the middle of the season.
Gunners like many other Premier League sides have been struggling to meet their financial obligations with the players. The situation took a turn for the worst when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit the country.
Besides the players, Mahumba said they are also facilitating a meeting with the Footballers Union of Botswana (FUB) to see how best they can deal with the issue relating to players’ salaries, which are lagging behind.
Meanwhile, Mahumba has pleaded with supporters to renew their membership cards.