Tsotso’s talent being stifled – Kowa
Former Botswana Football Association (BFA) Technical Director, Matshidiso Kowa, credited for developing Zebras midfielder Mogakolodi Ngele, one of the greatest football exports Botswana has ever produced, did not mince his words in a recent interview when he accused South African Mamelodi Sundown’s coach Pitso Mosimane of destroying the player's career. The development coach lashed out at Sundowns for the way his beloved protégé is being treated.
Speaking to BG Sports about Ngele’s career stall, Kowa has called on Mosimane to set Ngele free so he can spread his wings elsewhere. “A professional coach shouldn’t have any problems selling players to other teams, if you remember very well Tsotso was flourishing when he was loaned to Bidvest Wits in the 2016/2017 season, he won the league and he was withdrawn from Wits. Several teams like Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Bidvest Wits were after him but an individual won’t sell him because he fears the harm he can cause.”
Kowa said professional coaches all over the world give players a chance to play elsewhere if they don’t fit in their team, “Luis Van Gaal bought Angel Di Maria while at Manchester United and the player wasn’t what he thought he would be, he then sold him, Alvaro Morata is currently being given a chance to play at Atletico Madrid but he wasn’t playing at Chelsea, why can’t Pitso do the same thing with Tsotso?” Kowa retorted. “I was listening to the radio yesterday and Mosimane was accused of destroying talent in South Africa, remember Sibusiso Vilakazi who was causing Sundowns headaches while at Wits, George Lebese was at the peak of his game at Kaizer Chiefs, Pitso picked and froze them.”
Kowa says he has had an encounter with Mosimane before and questioned him about the player, “I met Mosimane in Morocco not so long ago, when I asked him about the player, he said he is becoming lazy, I told him to sell the player. He didn’t sell him, obviously because Sundowns is one of Patrice Motsepe’s hobbies, they are not that professional if you can observe.” Furthermore, Kowa expressed disappointment over youngsters who never return to their roots when they need advice, “these youngsters never return to us to ask for our advice under this kind of circumstances, instead they go to sharks, people who don’t appreciate the good that you do; when you do something good, people want to take it away from you and drag it down below.”
He stressed that Ngele is getting old and he remains stuck with a reserve side as he is currently training away from the first team at Sundowns, “Age is not on his side, I don’t know if he is even playing in the reserve league but if he is playing I guarantee you he will go back to his best if he finds another team,” Kowa lamented.
At the peak of his strength, Ngele won the MTN 8 Trophy and the Telkom Knockout with Platinum Stars; back then he was a pricking thorn to Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and his current Club Mamelodi Sundowns. He went on to win two Absa Premiership title, one with Sundowns and the other with Bidvest Wits. As if that was not enough, he added to his list another Telkom Knockout trophy with Mamelodi Sundowns.