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Botswana: Can Gunners Dodge the Axe Again?
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
26 March 2008
Posted to the web 27 March 2008
Lekopanye Mooketsi
Gaborone
Can Extension Gunners survive the relegation this time round? This has become a familiar question for the fallen Lobatse Mascom Premier League giants in recent years. So far, Gunners have staged miraculous last day survival antics on a number of occasions but whether they can pull-it off this season remains to be seen.
How long this dangerous game will continue is anybody's guess. Since the season kicked off, the Lobatse giants have registered five victories, six draws and lost nine times. They are lying in 14th spot with 21 points in the 16-team competition. To survive the relegation axe, they must pull themselves away and make sure they are at least 13th on the log at the end of the season. Other clubs fighting relegation are Jwaneng Comets, Nico United and Gunners' Lobatse neighbours BMC.
Gunners' coach, Daniel Nare said they are not safe from relegation and this is a concern for everyone associated with the club. "It depends on how we will apply ourselves in the remaining games." Nare said the current squad has talented youngsters but they lack experience. He said the management has been supportive and even the players are willing to die for the club. Gunners used to be one of the country's soccer giants when it was still sponsored by LCS Wholesalers in the 1990s and managed by businessman, Rashid Chopdat. The Lobatse side dominated the league from 1992 to 1994. But then things changed for the worse and the ship started to sink as key players left the club. Since then, Gunners has never won any significant tournament except the Kabelano Charity Cup. The survival specialists have been dogged by lack of sponsorship and as a result the club has not been able to recruit big name players for a long time. It relied on youth and home-grown talent. The departure of playmaker, Tshepo 'Talk Talk' Motlhabankwe to Mochudi Centre Chiefs at the end of last season paralysed Gunners. It took a long time for the supporters to accept that he has left.
With the current team, Gunners are a marvel to watch and the players seem to enjoy playing under the tutelage of Nare. Now it is up to the management to ensure that Mapantsula remain in the league and mount a better campaign next season.
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