Three weeks later, the Motswana international has finally been cleared to do duty for his Ethiopian side whose top flight league is broadcast live on Supersport
BONGANI MALUNGA
Ezekiel Morake has officially been cleared to make his competitive debut for his Ethiopian Coffee Sporting Club (SC) after being handed a work permit last week.
The Motswana international joined his new club’s match-day squad last Thursday when he was named on the bench for the game against Arbaminch Ketema.
Long delay
Morake joined Ethiopian Coffee SC on 1st October, three days before the transfer deadline day. After his transfer was confirmed, his involvement in first team football was delayed as he had to wait for his work permit to be processed.
The permit issue dragged on for three weeks until he was cleared to play last week after the process was finally completed and approved by the Ethiopian League.
Morake, who will don the Number 50 jersey this season, will now compete for a first team slot for his new employers after he got a chance to experience the match-day atmosphere, albeit from the bench, last Thursday.
Long terms admirers
According to the player’s representative, Bakang Moipone, the Ethiopian club has been chasing Morake’s signature for a while. “They have been keeping tabs on him for a while,” Moipone told Gazette Sport.
“He impressed them in the CAF Champions League against Simba SC. This is the best possible move for him because the Ethiopian league is very competitive. The league is also broadcast live on Supersport, so this will give him great exposure.”
Rejecting a move to SA
Moipone also informed this publication that Morake had to weigh his options as he had attracted interest from South Africa before his Ethiopian switch. Glad African Championship (First Division) side Castric FC made a concrete offer to him but the Ethiopian deal proved more appealing.