The Bosso meeting

The Highlanders Football Club Annual General Meeting has come and gone. As predicted in this blog, finance was the big issue. Without getting into details, Bosso are in the red. Very red. There have a huge budget, budget deficit and an average sponsorship. US$94 000,00 per year by BUSCOD is a drop in the ocean in football terms. That is basically my annual salary if I were to coach them.

 

Highlanders suffered a loss US$122 000,00 last season. If it was just a matter of figures, then simple mathematics will tell you that their worries are just US$26 000,00 away, if US$122 000,000 minus US$94 000,00 is still the same. Alternatively, because the total deficit is US$357 000,00, subtract the US$94 000,00 Buscod money. Add the current budget deficit of US$ 80 000,00. Effectively, it's US$ 94 000,00 minus US$80 000,00 IS US$14 000,00 and add that to the US$357 000,00 then you get US$371000,00. Bosso is in deep trouble and you expect players to stay?

 

The cry about players leaving the team raised eyebrows but unnecessary concerns. The Ngodzo brothers are said to be leaving the team. Why people expect them to play for peanuts is my concern. Tshilamoya tried their best in getting Joel Ngodzo ZAR 50000,00 signing on fee. This is a cool sum, but only until Platinum FC of Mimosa coughs US$70000 signing on fees. People must stop insulting the intelligence of players. It does take a genius of course to pick the best amount, and Joel is one.

 

Selfish and sometimes short-sighted as we are, players have families that we do not support. They have dreams to fulfill. Players agents are also business people. It becomes unfortunate is they touch Bosso players. A FIFA Agent is being made to feel like a traitor. His actions benefit the players and himself, while fans that are not helping the team are paying lip service. Paying lip service does not pay.

 

Agent X was barred from meeting as he is labelled the force behind players exodus. FIFA grants the licence based on dealing in the interest of players professionally at all times. The same agent is not necessarily dealing with players in a particular direction. He is authorised to do business anywhere anytime within the laws of the territory of the association in which the players move to and from.

 

The AGM itself was attended by a mere 300 members and the rest of the fans will be shouting and asking questions about decisions they should have made. A lot of club supporters find themselves not engaging in team activities and are swift to complain about team performance. Let people help the team, and if and when they can not, they must not hold back the players. Players come and go. Yesteryear, most played for nothing and that time is gone. Gone with the wind.

One of the biggest and genuine concerns was that of players' contracts. Most valuable players are leaving as free agents. An easy answer, assuming that the Executive Committee slept on duty, is, 'where was the money to renew the contracts?' On the balance of scales, supporters have left the team in the hands of the few, regardless of their incapabilities. The masses have abandoned their joint responsibilities to take interest in the affairs of the club. It does not help to witchhunt only when things go wrong. The rot did not start today. If you start aside and look, it will be worse tomorrow morning. This is my promise to you.

 

It is time to erase memories of casual football of the 1990s and the last decade. In this decade on, money talks. If a player moves and there is no money to keep him, is that the problem of the Executive Committee? Maybe yes, because they must source for sponsorship, but what is your contribution and why did you vote in a cabbage inot that position. Let the players move to greener pastures in peace and embrace them when they come home. Support youngsters who want to make their name and do not compare them. They will deliver.