D-DAY for Bosso

As Highlanders Football Club head into the polls at the traditional last weekend of January, the 30^th to be specific, all eyes will be on the Executive Committee report, especially the monies. While there was not much money coming in, the interest of where it was going will still be high.

For starters, people will be pacified by the appointment of former player and assistant to Mohammed Fathi, Mkhuphali  Masuku, who was employed full-time, albeit for one year. Mr Cooper acted in that capacity with incredible success.

The Committee will be harshly judged based on scarce resources and difficult environment under which the team operated. There was no proper sponsor to bankroll the team. The team must have spent a substantial amount in its court battles with debtors and legal firms.

Former coach, legendary Madinda Ndlovu was owed a cool sum, as did Fathi, besides Vusumuzi Thsinga Dube.  The Executive members coming in, will have to deal with these issues and fresh ones. Bosso’s best goalkeeper of all time, Captain Oxo, Peter ‘Umangoye’ Nkomo is owed $14 000.

One hopes that Cooper does not get distracted constructing his CV, spending precious training time sending applications to ‘Coaches Wanted’ newspaper columns. But then, with a one year contract, that is part of the deal. Besides that, he will be wondering how much money he will be owed by this time next year, and will have to budget for his lawyers as well.

While that was never supposed to be even the least of his worries, Cooper gets the team into their strides next Tuesday, with the majority of his generals absent. The tried and tested players still in their prime seem to be heading out of Emagumeni. It is still to be seen if there will be meaningful transactions, and if so, what will get into the player requisition kitty. With a tattered record financially and in paying terms, there is all likelihood of getting tattered material.   

There teams rumoured to pay $30 000, 00 signing on fees and $1000, 00 monthly salaries besides the $200, 00 winning bonuses and the lot, Bosso has a very long way to go. The people that raise the noise the most when the teams does badly, are partly to blame. Tshilamoya has fans that support the team only in good times. They abandon the team when they are needed the most, both in match attendances and financially.

In one of the most embarrassing episodes in the history of the team, Highlanders played home matches in front of about 200 paying supporters. There have not been much pledges or support to foot the bill when the players were in camp or for their salaries.

Supporters and fans need to chip in with money and attend matches at the stadium, regardless they voted the people they like to run the team. Bosso should never play in front of an empty stadium. Before you have anyone to point fingers at, ask how much money you contributed for the players’ welfare, at least, and how many matches you attended. Otherwise, just shut up and listen. All opinions focusing on the way forward would be welcome to take the team to its rightful place.