13 Apr 2021

Footballers Union Botswana (FUB) has signed a five-year partnership with Botho University to empower footballers after retirement.

Speaking in an interview, FUB president, Kgosana Masaseng said the university had given the union five enrollment slots.

Footballers who have been enrolled include Kabelo Maphakela for a Bachelor of Science (Bsc) Honors in Networking Security, Thabo Leinanyane for a Bsc Hons in Business Management.

Female footballer Tlhongbotho Mogatle has enrolled for Bsc Honors in Primary Education, Kabo Molemogi has enrolled for a Master of Business Administration while Arnold

Mampori is pursuing a Bsc Hons in Finance.

Masaseng highlighted that they had included one female player and four male players.

Masaseng noted that research had revealed that players go broke three years after retiremen.

He further noted that most footballers in Botswana hold no particular certified qualifications that they could use in job hunting after retirement.

Masaseng said that initiative would give footballers a reason to smile, since they were parents and caretakers of their families, adding that having qualifications would improve their lives.

He noted that it was now more than 15 months without any professional football activity in the country, adding that most teams use gate takings to pay players.

Players deserve to live better lives even after retirement, he said adding that the football career in Botswana was short due to injuries and early retirement hence the partnership would go a long way in rewarding players.

Masaseng pointed that they were targeting all players from the Premier League and First Division and the aim was to find scholarships for over 100 member footballers per year.

He pointed out that they were also talking to other universities, vocational colleges for similar initiatives.

Furthermore, Masaseng stated that most players had been taking part in vocational and Brigades to empower themselves, adding that Botho University offered vocational courses on hotel and hospitality, which he said were some of the courses that could make difference in a footballer’s life after retirement.

He further said they encouraged players to enrol for vocational short courses to empower themselves more especially that football activities had been suspended.

Masaseng said they had observed that most players, particularly those that had suffered injuries due to car accidents, preferred administration courses.

He noted Otlantshekela Mooketsi is one of the players that FUB had helped in his coaching career. Ends