FIFA Date To Pass With Zebras Inactive
The Zebras are likely not to return to action during the next FIFA international date, due to the recent sport ban.
The government announced the ban of sports activities until September 7, with the next international date starting from August 30 to September 7, 2021. Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, Maclean Letshwiti said it is unlikely the national team will see some action.
“I don’t know (if we will have a match), but I don’t think so since they have not been active. They might not be fit to play a friendly.
That is why we have to go back to playing football. It is actually safer to play football than going to the mall.
The safest place as we speak right now is playing football as the players are regularly screened. The possibility of spreading is reduced,” Letshwiti said, arguing they had done their best to convince authorities to allow the return to play.
He, however, said they have to abide by the health authorities’ regulations, with the country under the State of Emergency to fight the spread of COVID-19. The national team is without a substantive coach since the departure of Adel Amrouche in June.
Letang ‘Rasta’ Kgwengwenyane was given temporary charge of the team at the recent COSAFA Cup played in South Africa. The team failed to make it past the group stages. Letshwiti said the appointment of the coach should come soon, without giving dates.
“We will be looking for a national team coach. It is important to have a national team coach. You need the national team because it is the window for football in Botswana. So we have to continue to improve it,” he said.
“We would like to expedite the process but there is a lot of dynamics, and again you can’t bring a coach when there is no action,” Letshwiti added.
The Zebras have fallen in the FIFA rankings since their 53rd placing in 2010, and are now 149th in the world, and just six places off the bottom in CAF’s 54-member grouping.