Molefhi Obenne
Wame Pepe Mokoke, the son of Botswana’s erstwhile tactician, Phillimon Makwengwe is what the doctored order for Extension Gunners. The young tactician is in his second spell with the Lobatse based club which is instantly producing good results.
Extension Gunners started the 2021/20 22 league season with a 2 – 0 loss to their old rivals, Township Rollers. Defeats against Orapa United and Gaborone United followed.
With three games played and no goals scored, Gunners asked for the timely intervention of coach Mokoke. In his first game, on the 20th of November, he narrowly lost 1 – 0 to BDF XI. After the game Mokoke mentioned that he was still learning his new team after parting ways with them in January 2021 following months of unpaid wages.
It was in his second game with Gunners that Mokoke proved successful as Gunners came with guns blazing and beatMorupule Wanderers 3 – 2. Wame’s magic didn’t end there, as he went on to inspire his team to yet another great result against Security Systems, as they walloped them 2 – 0 and subsequently moved away from the relegation zone. Similarly, the likes of Kabelo Babusi, Pako Modikwa and Dirang Moloi started to come to life. On page 17 of Botswana Football A Fool’s Paradise: Another Day In Paradise book, “Extension Gunners have scripted ‘How to survive relegation’ manual. They usually start well in the first round and are never in the relegation zone, throughout the season they maintain a position in the mid-table. You will never catch them languishing at the bottom of the log at any given time.”
The same book goes on to mention that, “Whenever they’ve felt the heat, they fire the coach. This has repeatedly worked magic for them over the years. Pundits always differ in opinion on this matter. But the chopping and changing of coaches at Gunners have been the secret prescription that has seen them survive.” This prevalence hasn’t changed, Gunners fired the underperforming Molefe Motlhala after just 3 games. With Extension Gunners, you can never guess their next move, be warned.
In the end, Wame Pepe Mokoke is to Gunners what Moses was to the Israelites. Moses guided the Israelites out of Egypt on their way to the Promised Land. Pharaoh and his army pursued them. When the Israelites reached the Red Sea Moses stretched out his hand and the waters divided, allowing his followers’ safe passage. With Mokoke Gunners has found a safe passage.