10 Sep 2018

Debswana First Division North chairperson Mpenzeni Samandawe has called upon footballers in the northern region to stop bad mouthing and make this coming season a better league.

Speaking at a Debswana First Division North meeting with various teams representatives over the weekend, Samandawe said he would not entertain bad mouthing this coming season adding that the concentration would be to grow football.

“I am having a problem with people who want to fail our league by causing instability and divisions amongst ourselves. Some of these people explore avenues to attack my committee using some of you the teams.

We are at your service and if there is something wrong, share it with us by using available forums and guard against negativity,” said Samandawe.

He said the northern league was one of the best leagues ever with best teams and best football administrators but the problem was that some people want to cause instability by encroaching into the league. 

He warned teams’ representative not to allow themselves to be  trapped into such situations saying they all have to protect their brand in order to achieve their goal and mandate.

“Forget about those who want to destroy what we have already built,” he added. 

On other issues, Samandawe said there would be some changes this season saying all committee members would be empowered to work in collaboration with teams in order to enhance team work. 

He said every committee member would be duty bound to protect the committee and the brand  and requested the team’s support in order to make this a reality.

“Any committee member who is not going to do according to my expectation I will get rid of him. This sound like a threat but it is a reality,” he added.

Samandawe also said all communication would now be channelled through the secretary general and that teams should have official email addresses as  individual’s emails would  not be allowed to relay communication relating to the league.

On club licensing and compliance, he said the matter should be addressed with the seriousness it deserves. 

He explained that teams should use on line (e-registration) to register their players adding that money in this matter is not an excuse because this is a national league.

He warned that every team would have to toe the line in the matter saying that teams have until Friday to have attended to the matter.   

He also said Botswana Football Association and Baboneng Film Productions had reached a deal to to broadcast first division league games.

In addition, he said each team would get P50 000 grant per season, which shall be paid before the start of the season. 

He said that some of the obligations were that teams should be at the grounds two hours before the match starts and that teams should avail team sheets two hours before every game.  

He also informed the meeting that the league had not been audited for the past three years and that there were no financial statements.

He thanked the teams for electing him and his committee to run the league for the second time  saying that another welcome development was the election Precious Charles, as an additional member. 

The league, which starts on Saturday, will see Calendar Stars and Green Lovers Football Club battling it out at the Old Francistown Stadium. ENDS