Clubs deplete Masitaoka arsenals
It is a script they have seen before, a familiar path that the 2021/2022 Orange FA Cup finalist, Masitaoka FC, endured last season, a complete squad dismantlement and rebuild process with emphasis on giving young players a chance to compete amongst the elites.
Once more this season, the club finds itself in a predicament and delicate situation after losing almost all of their highly rated assets with top clubs proving irresistible with their lucrative offers to the young stars.
Vincent Kgaswane had almost a bloated squad of close to 30 young players who convened at Dinaledi Academy grounds for fitness, physical assessments and tactical work. As the pre-season is set to commence, the sense of uncertainty will envelop all those remaining after significant departures of the playing squad in recent weeks.
The club recently announced that the midfield duo of Obakeng Ramotlhwa, Olebogeng Ramotse, speedy winger Bakang Tsholang, goalkeeper Victor James and defender Obositswe Gabadise have all left after declining new offers presented by the club.
“The club was keen on retaining them but they all rejected the new proposed offers presented by the club on several attempts. It is with deep sense of gratitude that we reflect on the contributions of these players during their time with us,” part of the official club statement revealed.
The club’s business model has been set around developing talents and giving them the platform to showcase their talents and in return make profit on their sales when top clubs come for their signatures.
This publication followed up the developments and enquired on the mass exodus at the club and unearthed saddening reality of the current status of players transfer in Botswana’s topflight football league.
“Our football is dirty at all levels, we will never stop any player from leaving, if they are offered better monies than what we can give them we can’t stand on their way; but, it’s not like we want them to leave for free because we invest on these guys, with what is currently happening we are not able to even recover our costs. Some teams in the local league talk to these players without our consent, they wait for us to scout players and then they poach on them and advise them [players] not to renew contracts so they get them for free,” Masitaoka General Manager, Godfrey Ratlhaga shared.
“Players are given money not to renew contracts and it is really a tough situation, we try to engage players for contract renewal talks and their demands goes way beyond what we can afford because already that is what they have been promised elsewhere. We were aware that they’ll leave with a year left on their contracts and there was nothing we could do, it is painful but that is the reality of how things are,” he added.
Ratlhaga further pointed a finger at footballers’ representative/ agents, who ill advise the players and lead them to making bad decisions, according to him.
“It is very easy to entice these guys and the people who advise them are more of a problem than the players themselves, they never look at the bigger picture,” he laments.
The club already have moved decisively in mapping out plans for the upcoming campaign, having been afforded the oxymoron 'luxury' of factoring and projecting the future at the very beginning of the current transfer period.
“We have very good players in our development structures, it is a matter of giving them the opportunity to show their talents, we will unearth similar quality of players or even way better, from our development. Masitaoka are a development hub, this is not the first time this kind of situations happens, I hope it doesn’t happen in the future although I expect it’ll happen looking at the current football environment.
This however will not change who we are and what we stand for, we will continue to develop players, to improve football in Botswana and to help players realize their dreams and better careers, one-day we will recover our costs,” he concluded.
Ratlhaga maintained that Masitaoka will continue to remain competitive after they finished the 2022/2023 football season on the top eight (8) bracket, this season however the club missed out on the top 8 bracket and finished on the 9th spot, tied on points with BDF XI who had a better goal difference.