Of former players and office positions
If Doctor Khumalo had his way, Lucas Radebe and other former players will effortlessly walk into South Africa Football Association leadership positions.
Khumalo says those who walked the path should be part of football administration as they made sacrifices on the pitch. Fair enough; they have done a lot for football. But should being a former player be the defining barometer in electing one into office?
It’s an argument that has persisted for ages but that does not have a straightforward answer. Khumalo thinks by hook or crook, former players should be jettisoned to the most lucrative posts in football; just like that.
Those deserving to be in offices should be in office, no doubt or debate around that. However, it’s not good enough to say because you kicked the pigskin then you should walk straight into an administrative position and find yourself sitting on a swivel chair behind some big desk. The pitch and the office are distinctly two separate places.
The skills that you apply on the football are not necessarily the same skills that you apply at the office. More often we have seen players crying like babies to be included in the technical team, specifically as coaches, and some have failed dismally. Of course some have been a success story.
If it’s an issue of mere tokenism, then Khumalo is correct. But if it’s about driving football forward, then his remarks could be off target. Football is no longer a past time but a multibillion dollar industry, which must be run like a business or is already run like a business.
In a company, appointments are made based on the candidate with the right skills set (not just football skills of ball juggling, etc). Football deserves to be treated as such and should reject symbolism.
Khumalo and ilk cannot be allowed to hold football at ransom simply because they kicked the ball.
Let deserving candidates be picked, on merit and not tokenism. Some former footballers carry the needed gravitas to hold political office and it must not be seen like they are done favours to be in those positions.
Masego Nchingane campaigned for his position at the Botswana Football Association (BFA). He did not need favours simply because he is a former footballer.
It should not be like in some country where political positions are only the preserve of those who participated in the liberation struggle. Meritocracy must therefore triumph over perfunctory efforts and mediocrity all day.
Former footballers played their role in the development of football, that’s their side of the deal and they should allow everyone to contribute to the progress of sport. Some did not necessarily play football but have brilliant ideas to drive the sport forward.
Should they be sidelined in favour of a former player, whose only credentials are kicking the ball? Those football positions are not ceremonial; real thinking takes place behind those walls, or rather, proper thinking should be taking place behind those walls.
In as much as football players fight to be in the starting line-up, they should fight to be in offices and not expect to be given positions on a platter. Football, like any serious, progressive industry, deserves brains and not just brawn.
Those former footballers who are supposed to be in office are already in office.
Those outside will, hopefully get their turn if they so deserve and desire to be in office. Football is for us all and not an elite few who were privileged to kick-it.
There is no proof that being a former footballer makes one a good administrator, it will be a flawed approach.
Footballers are allowed to contest even for political office if they feel they can make a good contribution there. Former footballers are not the game’s magic bullet; their importance cannot be underestimated, but at the same time, it should not be over-inflated.