AMROUCHE ‘S ATTITUDE CLASHES WITH LOCALS
The new coach Adel Amrouche seems to be somebody who prides himself in discipline.
This has come to light with the recent events that took place at the national team, and the public seems to be of a different view.
The new coach suspended few stars from the national team some time ago after Botswana and Malawi clash back in Lilongwe.
This was after the loss the Zebras succumbed to on the second leg of the AFCON qualifiers, Mothusi Cooper, Onkabetse Makgantai, Segolame Boy and Lebogang Ditsile started drinking immediately.
To the coach the behaviour was bad as he said the players are not serious as they were not concerned that they lost, it was business as usual. He decided to take strict measures by suspending them from the team said they must go and rethink about their future on the national team.
The coach said he will only call them back after they have totally dropped their bad rabbits.
This seems to be the order of the day in the football cycles. We have had such stories around the world where footballers are a victim of alcohol abuse especially at the peak of their careers.
The likes of Steve Lekolea of Orlando Pirates, Jabu Pule, now Mahlangu of Kaizer Chiefs, Junior Khanyi’s careers on football were cut short by this habit of alcohol abuse.
Beyond the continent , a particular figure, a darling of every football fanatic, a role model to many tand the most skillfull of the players that ever done the football stadiums is also a victim of this.
The Brazillian magician, Ronaldinho was said be a very indisciplined player. We were told that he could spend the whole night at a night club, having a good time with different women even when he had a match the following day.
Coming back home, on the 15th of June, Orange FA CUP final between Township Rollers and Orapa United at Francistown something of this sort happened.
After the game as we were being driven back to the hotel where we were being accommodated, in the bars next to the roads, Orapa United’s players were there wearing the teams merchandise having fun with the fans.
The media was also sharing the hotel with Township Rollers players at Marang Cresta hotel and we saw most of them after the game leaving the hotel to the club named Thapama.
The boys only came in the morning. They also partied with the teams merchandise.
This is absolute unprofessionalism on the view with the coach as instilling discipline in players will help them on their careers and the upcoming ones would be directed in the proper path.
Professionalism is key. But the locals seems not yo understand such. Batswana and the football fans believe that if a player is performing well in the fiels of play should be given a chance despite his social lives. The social media was on fire as most were saying the coach is not fair.
Some of the journalists also were not happy with this decision by the coach. He did not only end there, at the technical team, he removed all of them and chose a new one, the issue still on disclipne.
The most shocking was the suck of the goalkeeper coach Modiri Marumo who has a very rich profile, the man played for Al-Ahly in Egypt, Polokwane City in the PSL for many years until he retired and became a goalkeeper coach there. He is also a former keeper and a captain for the national team. Many thought his experience was key for the national team.
Looking at the fact that the fans has a share of power too, of the results do not come early for the coach they will doo ask for his head as they already started.
Some feel he has nothing to offer in our football. This is only based on biasness as their favorite players are dropped.
The more the noise, the higher the chances of the coach being sucked. We have seen with the past coaches that fans have a part to play in the keeping and sucking of a coach.
Adel Amrouche’s intentions are good, the problem only lies in the locals, do they understand what he wants to do? Do they understand the power of discipline?
So far BFA is developing a code of conduct for national team players. Let’s watch the space and see how things will unfold going forward.
OPINION BY:Phodiso Gaebepe
