Zebras out to put drama behind them

GABORONE. — Botswana’s Zebras would be hoping to put behind them the drama which has seen their coach Adel Amrouche endure rocky start amid reports he is frustrated with the conduct of some officials at the Botswana Football Association.

The Zebras take on the Warriors in a 2021 AFCON qualifier at the National Sports Stadium in Harare tomorrow.

Amrouche arrived at the end of August, and signed a three-year deal, with the aim of taking the Zebras to their second AFCON appearance.

But some of his plans have been frustrated at Lekidi Centre, sources said, and this has left coach disappointed after his intention to take the Zebras to the UB Stadium for the Algeria encounter were leaked to his opponents.

It is said that the coach wanted to take the game to UB Stadium, as it is compact, and have an afternoon kick-off to maximise on home ground ‘advantage’.

“The coach found out that his plan has been leaked to the Algerians, and was not happy with that,” the source said.

The Zebras will play the Algerians at the

National Stadium next week.

The other issue which has left the Belgian, who is of Algerian descent, unhappy is the failure to take decisive action against players who shun national team call-ups.

Amrouche travelled to Egypt last month, minus some of the players he had called up, notably from Jwaneng Galaxy and Gaborone United.

“The coach wanted to see action, as he wants to instill discipline within the team,” the source said.

Regarding action against players who fail to honour call-ups, BFA general managerfootball operations, Monnakgotla Mojaki, said the concerned players will not be considered.

“They will not be considered until it is clear why they didn’t (honour the call-up), and or, action has been taken,” Mojaki said.

On the four players found drinking alcohol on duty, Mojaki said the association was developing a code of conduct.

“We will discuss it with the players through the players’ union so that they are governed properly and we can know right from wrong, and which action can be taken for any offence,” he said.

Already, the venue switch of the Botswana/Zimbabwe AFCON qualifier, from

Bulawayo to Harare, has cost the BFA

P250 000.

The Zebras intended to train in Francistown before boarding a bus to nearby Bulawayo, which is just 200km away from the second city. But now the Zebras will have to fly to Harare via Johannesburg.

“The shift has cost us over a quarter of a million and disrupted even plans for our next game.

‘’We are not happy with the way CAF and ZIFA went about this. We have made an official complaint and protest to CAF. It was more of mind games than a genuine change,” Mojaki said. Amrouche has named a strong side to face Zimbabwe.