GU deny coach’s exit rumours

Gaborone United has denied that they are exploring the possibility of firing their head coach, David Bright, following an unsatisfactory start to the season. The club was widely expected to build on their Mascom Top 8 triumph by starting the season on a winning streak to showcase their title credentials but they have struggled to live up to expectations so far.

 
The league campaign is in the early stages of the season but the Gaborone based side is already behind league leaders Mochudi Centre Chiefs by 10 points.  Moyagoleele has recorded one victory, two draws and one defeat in the first four league games of the season. They are currently situated in 11th place on the league table.

 
Bright’s side suffered a 2-1 setback against Notwane despite taking the lead in the match courtesy of a goal from Tebogo Sembowa.
Following the defeat, reports surfaced that the coach’s position is being evaluated because of the club’s slow start to the season. Rumours were fuelled by reports that the club has held two meetings since Friday’s deafeat, with the latest on Monday.

 
However, the club’s secretary general Herbert Letsebe denied the rumours in an interview with this publication. “It’s still early for people to be making such assumptions. We cannot press panic buttons yet as we have only played four games. It is pointless to blame the coach because a club’s performance can be influenced by many factors, not only the coach,” explained Letsebe.

 
“We are behind our coach and we expect him to turn things around soon. Our struggle may be a blessing in disguise because most times we always start the season on a high note and we end up struggling because we would have failed to identify areas that needed to be improved. This time we will have a chance to introspect and address our problems,” he continued.

 
Despite pledging their support for the experienced trainer, the secretary general stated that in football nothing is ever guaranteed. “All I can say is that the coach’s job is safe for now. It is a normal exercise for clubs to evaluate a coach’s performances but it is too early to do so because the season has yet to gather pace. In football you cannot rule out a coach’s departure but that decision can only be made if a club feels that a coach failed to deliver despite being given the necessary resources to perform well,” explained Letsebe.

 
Another factor that has fuelled Bright’s exit rumours is that GU’s assistant coach, George Mogopodi, has enhanced his coaching badges after attending a coaching course in Holland in recent months. He has obtained a UEFA ‘B’ license, an equivalent to one of the highest CAF coaching license qualifications.
Sources have revealed that the former Uniao Flamengo Santos coach is being lined up as the Bright’s long-term replacement as his recently improved coaching credentials have improved his CV.