The Voice (Francistown)
Ntjidzi Smarts
18 March 2008
Francistown — Last Saturday's 3-1 win over Tasc gained Ecco a welcome three points in the fight against relegation. At the same time last season they were top of the table and heading for Championship glory - so what's gone wrong?
In a revealing interview, Ecco boss Barry Daka has admitted that the team made a grave mistake by not signing key players in the last transfer windows in August and January.
The veteran Zimbabwe-born coach who led Ecco to league glory in his second season with the team, said lack of resources to bring targeted players to the club and recurring injuries had cost him dearly.
Daka described winning as a 'process' for which there were no short cuts. "The young team that gained promotion blossomed when we won the Premier League two seasons later, but there was no planning or structures in place to build on that success.
"We needed to acquire players to stabilise the team. The team that won the league had been built from the first division, an effort that started long back, but the players faced burn out after playing the League and Coke Cup. The squad was supposed to have been strengthened in August. We identified the players, but never got them."
Ecco's woes were worsened by injuries that have plagued the team. Currently, new signing Tony Selala, who was roped in to replace Abdenico Powell, has been sidelined due to injury. Gontse Ntesa, Bashin and Robert Tamba are also doubtful players who have not made a 100% recovery.
Daka added that their form had been adversely affected by leading striker Malepa Bolelang's recurring ankle injury, and his long term-injury, with the loss of influential midfielder Tshokolo Nkola, made it hard to reach the required standard of play.
"The team is not made of individual players, but in every team there are influential players like Malepa and Tshokolo and we have had no real backup for them."
Malepa's importance to the team was emphasised last Saturday as he scored a brace in the victory over Tasc, just two games into his comeback.
Although reluctant to criticise management, the coach went on to say that the frequent change of members had not helped the club plan their long-term goals.
He further identified 'the second season syndrome' as another factor in Ecco's disappointing season.
"There seems to be a trend. First it was Township Rollers after winning the league in 2005, they dropped form; and now they are rebuilding. Then there was Police XI, and now it's us.
"As League Champions you set yourselves up as the team to beat, and every club is out to prove their worth by knocking you down."
Daka also identified motivation as a major factor in the second season slump.
"You win the League and there is euphoria, but then you come to a dead end. The players realise that it is no big deal. The money involved is peanuts, and for us the motivation of playing against other African teams was taken away when we could not afford to participate in the CAF Club Championship League.
"Apart from those who make the national squads, players don't get the chance to showcase their talents outside the country. This would have been an ideal opportunity for the development of the players and the club.
"With better planning, and improved financial support from the sponsors and the BFA, we would have been able to take our rightful place in the tournament."
The coach also pointed out that motivation for the big games against the likes of Chiefs, Rollers and Tafic was not a problem, but it was difficult to generate the same enthusiasm for games against less popular teams when there was little at stake.
He, however, praised the fans for their loyal support, and emphasised their importance to the club.
"We increased our support base as a winning club, and now we
need to do more to bring the fans on board and strengthen our links with them. They are the foundation of the club, and it is from the real supporters that you find your future administrators."
Despite the current slump in the club's fortunes, Daka remains confident about the future. Success, he consistently emphasised, would be built on the development of a youth policy.
"There has long been talk on the development of junior teams, and now we are in the process of putting the structures into place."
The coach paid tribute to the efforts made by Notwane.
"The evidence was there for all to see in our recent game against them, as they proved technically superior with their youngsters.
"We are currently engaged in team building and the results won't be visible overnight. Team building is a process, and we are working to identify and groom talent.
"We need to get back to basics and teach the youngsters the tools of their trade if we are to develop a professional football structure.
Many of the players I have had to handle had developed bad habits, which are difficult to correct when a player is older. Their technique was faulty and they lacked the basic skills. It is the difference in what I call just kicking a ball, and learning to play football."
As to his own long-term future with the club, Daka remained somewhat coy, claiming not even to know the length of his current contract.
Would he still be with the club in five years time? "Who knows," he replied with a smile - "football's a funny old game."
This Saturday Ecco host Township Rollers.
FANS CALL FOR CHANGES
Despite the optimism stemming from their win over Tasc at the weekend there appears to be a storm brewing in the Ecco camp.
In a heated meeting at the team's training grounds last week, many called for the immediate sacking of the executive committee (with the exception of the manager, secretary general and PRO) to pave way for a new committee that would take the team forward.
Opinion was divided as others felt they should only replace the chairman and change the committee at the end of the season, especially as the turmoil might affect their league prospects.
The team's hapless situation is said to have created rifts between the coach and his assistant. The two men apparently do not take advice from each other during matches and their rift has created divided loyalties amongst the players.
Club officials declined to comment on the issue.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Voice. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
