Delays in Mares coach appointment
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The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has said that the appointment of a substantive coach for the Mares will not be any time soon owing to a technical team restructuring exercise. This is despite the fact that the association had previously said that the appointment for a substantive coach was imminent. The Mares have never had a full-time coach since the team’s inception 10 years ago.
This week, BFA CEO, Mfolo Mfolo said the appointment has been put on hold because the association’s technical and development committee is currently working on restructuring some of its coaching structures for the national team and regions.
Mfolo emphasised that the goal of the restructuring exercise is to ensure that the coaching structures for the national teams and regions are efficient.
“The goal is to ensure that the right people are appointed (as coaches within the association’s structures). The exercise will also determine areas that need upskilling. It will be a holistic view of the structures. In the meantime, the team will continue relying on an interim.”
Mfolo was non-committal when asked when the BFA intends to have appointed a full-time national team coach.
“The restructuring exercise will probably be completed towards the end of the year. What I can only say is that its recommendations will determine how we proceed in terms of appointing the coach (for the Mares),” he said.
At one point, BFA president Maclean Letshwiti promised that the players will be issued contracts before the AWCON tournament in Morocco. The promise was never fulfilled.
“The whole technical team has been doing very well. They have sacrificed a lot for so many years. It is important that when people are doing well, they are fairly rewarded. Giving them contracts will be one way of thanking them for the sacrifices that they have made over the years,” Letshwiti told Mmegi after the Mares’ maiden qualification for the AWCON.
Calls for the appointment of a full-time coach for the Mares have been growing since the team’s qualification for the 2022 AWCON tournament. The tournament was held in July and the team bowed out of the competition in the quarterfinals.
Mares interim coach Gaolethoo Nkutlwisang has previously said that working on a volunteer basis compromised her work. She said she was unable to tour the country to scout for talent.
The BFA has often been accused of prioritising the Zebras over the Mares who have oftentimes proven their mettle. It is expected the association will announce the appointment of a Zebras coach anytime from now.
Orapa United coach Teenage Mpote is being lined up to take over as Zebras coach in a deal that will see him earn around P100,000 a month. Mpote has often been widely tipped to take over as the Zebras coach although he nearly dented his chances after failing to qualify for the CHAN tournament. The Ostriches have already declared a vacancy for the head coaching role, which has heightened talk that Mpote will take over Zebras coach. An unnamed Zimbabwean coach will reportedly replace Mpote at Orapa United.