Systems sidelines Wire
Security Systems and their head coach Wire Kaelo are on a familiar path of incongruity with the latter demoted and pushed down to take charge of the development side, The club chairman, Lenamile Letsogile has confirmed to BG Sports.
“Yes, we have reshuffled our technical team, what we did is, the assistant coach, David Botlhasitse is now the head coach. We want Kaelo to now focus on the development aspect of the team, from the grassroots level. We spend a lot of money buying ready-made players, but there is a lot of talent out there that only needs to be nurtured and polished, which can benefit us a lot in the future,” Letsogile told BG Sport.
He further defended their decision and dismissed issues of experience of Botlhasitse to lead the team by stating that: “He is a top coach, we groomed him well, just like we did with Wire—we are a club that believes in developing people to the required standards and we are strongly confident that he will deliver as expected.”
Quizzed on whether it was a mutual agreement with Kaelo, Letsogile told this publication that, it was an executive decision to make the change.
“The employer, that is the executive board of the club, took a decision that they feel is right for the club; they are both our valuable products and we are giving them a chance to excel,” he said.
Some sources close to the developments however are questioning the club’s decision to demote Kaelo to oversee the development structures, “they have not put up proper development resources to allow him [Kaelo] to flourish in this role. All their junior teams currently have coaches, what exactly will be his role—their long term development strategy isn’t clear and it is surprising that they have made this decision,” an informant shared.
Last season, the Alarm Boys huffed and puffed as they struggled to get results during the time when they had sidelined Kaelo and changed their training schedule, only to later reinstate him to the head coach position.
The season is yet to commence but news around the club has set tongues wagging regarding the current situation of the head coach position with Kaelo once more missing on first team duties. Kaelo recently acquired his BFA CAF A license course and it was widely believed by Systems supporters that he will lead them in the upcoming Botswana Football League (BFL) campaign.
“They first resorted to morning trainings, knowing that he is a government employee and therefore just a ploy to make himself helpless,” a source close to the team revealed. BG Sport has learned that Kaelo has not been part of the team’s pre-season preparations and that he is not keen to take charge of the new role assigned. His replacement, Botlhasitse attained a BFA, CAF B license certificate last year and this will allow him to sit on the bench for Premier League matches.
BG Sport investigations have also gathered that, when submitting club licensing documents two months back, Kaelo’s name was not included, but instead his assistant appeared with claims that he could not be reached to get his details to fill the coaching compliance slot. Systems had an impressive 2021/2022 season with a 6th place finish on the BFL standings and reached the finals of the Orange FA Cup, Mascom Charity Cup final and secured along the way a CAF Confederations Cup spot—they however withdrew from participating in CAF owing to financial struggles.
This time around Letsogile has highlighted that a top 8 finish is their primary objective.
“We want him to finish in the top 8, that is our mandate and with the squad we have we can compete,” the club chairman concluded.