New Safa chief has plenty cracks to fill

So Safa have quietly yet quickly moved to a new go-to-man for the vacant CEO position and judging by the response from most of the football fraternity, Tebogo Mothlanthe is a good choice. Or at least, I hope he is. I don’t know much about him and my research on him done online didn’t yield much.

But I will take Joe Seanego’s word that Mothlanthe, who is an Advocate by profession, is a “good choice”. Seanego is owner of Baberwa FC who ply their trade in the Safa-run ABC Motsepe League and is one of the people passionate enough about our football to put his hard-earned money where his mouth is.

Safa unveiled Mothlanthe earlier this week and there was obviously not much fanfare as some quietly felt it was another of those appointments that would not yield much in terms of turning things around at the ailing organisation. On his exit, ex-occupier of the hot seat, Gay Mokoena mentioned that one of the issues he had to deal with and that weighed heavily on his shoulders was an alleged instruction from top office to do a staff reshuffle. This, in layman’s terms meant he had to fire some people.

He obviously didn’t feel the way the organisation went about it was fair and proper so he dillydallied until his time to vacate his position came. If that was true, then that unsavoury responsibility now fell on Mothlanthe’s head. I just hope he was aware of it or it was clearly explained to him if it was indeed a figment of Mokoena’s imagination.

Having been in football for a while now, I have learnt that I @SbongsKaDonga must take every piece of information volunteered to me with a little pinch of salt and seek verification because everyone has an agenda in this game. It is so bad that sometimes you can’t even take as gospel what the coaches say in post-match interviews these days. But I can’t go there, at least not now...not today.

Growing up one obviously dreamed of working for Safa. In one way or another I knew I had to be involved in football. Playing was quickly struck off the list because of my perennial dislike for training. Let’s say I couldn’t see myself training morning and afternoon every day until I was at least 35, or 42 if you are a Siyabonga Nomvethe.

Working at Safa was an obvious aspiration and maybe still is, but having seen what goes on there I must say I don’t envy Mothlanthe. Before he even took his position, he already had huge challenges to address. Club owners all over the country are unhappy at the way things are being run. Referees are not being paid. Clubs have not been receiving their grants and apparel. In-fighting and mud slinging in regional offices is becoming the norm.

And at head office rumours of financial ruin keep surfacing despite Dominic Chimhavi’s efforts to plug the leaks. To Advocate Mothlanthe I can only say: “Good luck, sir.”