The Botswana Football Association(BFA) will soonconduct interviews for thevacant position of technical director(TD). The position has beenvacant since Sonnyboy Sethibe’searly exit in May this year andPhilemon Makhwengwe has beenacting in the post for the past twomonths.The Association’s Chief ExecutiveOffi cer (CEO), KeithMasters informed this reporterthat the deadline for applicationshas passed and they are now examininga handful of candidateswho will later be called up forinterviews.
Masters declined todisclose the number of applicantsbut predicted that a new technicaldirector could be employed byAugust 1st if all goes well.“The process is still ongoing.We have applicants who havesubmitted their curriculum vitaein the past months, interviewswill be conducted shortly andwe hope to conclude this processsoon,” he said.BFA president, Tebogo Sebegotold Gazette Sport that they hopeto conclude the appointment ofa new technical director beforetheir Annual General Meeting(AGM) scheduled for August10th. “It is a matter which will bediscussed in the next National ExecutiveCommittee (NEC) meeting.Our aim is to fi nd a solutionbefore the AGM. Phil (Makhwengwe)has done extremely well inthe position, he is doing his bestconsidering the fact that he is alsoan education offi cer.
His abilityto play two different roles has tobe applauded, his multi-taskingabilities are impressive,” said Sebego.The president could not confirm or deny reports that Makhwengweis being touted as oneof the possible candidates for thejob. The former Gaborone Unitedcoach is a CAF/FIFA instruc-tor who has worked closely withprevious BFA technical directors.His interim role is reportedlyaimed at preparing him for therole on a permanent basis.Sources at Lekidi also indicatethat an unnamed applicantfrom Belgium is also under consideration.The Belgian’s credentialsare also said to be suitablefor the job.
The BFA stated thatthey would welcome applicantsregardless of their nationalitiesas long as they meet the requirementsfor the position.However, newspaper reports inMarch circulated that the appointmentof a foreigner as the BFACEO had drawn criticism fromthe Assistant Minister of Educationand Skills Development,Patrick Masimolole. The possibleappointment of a foreigner couldtrigger another backlash from thefootball and/or political fraternity;the BFA could have a dilemmawhen choosing Sethibe’s longterm replacement.
The possible local versus foreignerdilemma will not faze theAssociation since they are opento hiring an individual who ticksall the boxes, according to one ofthis reporter’s source.The previous TD, Sethibe, wasgiven an early dismissal whilehis contract was left to run forthe past two months. He had occupiedthe post since June 21st,2010.