06 Nov 2022

Some former football players have launched Super League Legends to help restore the sport to its glory.

Speaking during launch of Super League Football Legends and the Savings and Credit Cooperative in Gaborone on Saturday, Botswana Open University vice chancellor, Dr Daniel Tau, said the legends had the ability to develop and translate football strategy into meaningful and impactful initiatives to professionalise the sport.

He said they marked their return to the beautiful game with the injection of business ideas, which if well nurtured, could add more value to the life of footballers.

He pointed out that it had been a concern that the popularity of football had for various reasons declined in Botswana.

“The euphoric atmosphere you enjoyed playing under as super league giants have effectively been relegated to history,” he said, adding such was indicative of worst-case scenarios likely to precipitate in the not-too-distant future unless some things were done to stem the tide.

Dr Tau pointed out that effective football leadership was of paramount importance and required developed strategic orientation on the part of those placed in positions of influence.

He further stressed that all responsibility to give back to football.

“Most of you played under the auspices of men and women who had so much commitment and passion and they have rubbed that on you,” he said.

Reiterating that the passion for football seemed to have waned in Botswana, Dr Tau said a lot of emphasis was being placed on profitability at the expense of other critical aspects of development. Convinced that the commercialisation of soccer was worthwhile, he said if relentlessly pursued, the foundation should be meticulously laid down in a defensible manner.

He pointed out that once an effective football ecosystem was put in place, it would be easy to develop football into a sound industry capable of creating sustainable employment and in the process contributing significantly to the growth of GDP.

He encouraged the legends society to go beyond the ideals of a social club.

Dr Tau said the legends constituted people who had the means, experience and expertise to contribute to the development of football, adding they could only set up effective football ventures if they were familiar with the governing laws. ENDS