The Voice (Francistown)
1 April 2008
interview
Francistown — Zebras captain, Modiri Marumo, is back home for the friendly game against a Brazilian Invitation side to be played at the National Stadium as part of Vice President Ian Khama's inauguration as president of Botswana.
Marumo became the first Motswana to sign for an Egyptian side when he struck a five-year deal with Haras El Hadoud. DUBANI-WA-DUBANI caught up with the 31-year-old goalie at Lekidi Football Centre and spoke to him about his Egyptian experience so far.
Hi Mr Captain. Welcome home.
Thanks. It's good to be back home. I miss this place a lot because as they say there is no better place than home. I am really enjoying myself and looking forward to the game against Brazil.
Have you started playing for your new team yet?
I am still a member of the Botswana Defence Force and cannot play in official games yet. That will be like doing two jobs. I have played only in friendly games and I think I have done well. I am just acclimatizing and getting ready for the 2008/09 season when I will be able to play again. I am looking forward to playing my first official match. I cannot wait for next season.
I thought you had resigned from the army.
I have not left the army yet. I am on leave and using the time to get used to the football in Egypt. I am currently serving my notice and will officially leave my BDF job in April.
How were you received by the people at your new club?
I got a very warm welcome and they have been good to me so far. I am happy at the club and cannot complain. The players, the officials and supporters have all been great. I think I will enjoy my stay at the club.
You do not speak Arabic. How do you communicate?
I am learning the language and I think I will be competent enough soon. My club coach speaks English and this helps. Most of the time I speak through an interpreter. For example, when I want to go somewhere I have to make a call through an interpreter.
You are a Christian living in a Moslem country. Where do you worship?
There are a few churches in Cairo where my club is but I have not been to any because the services are conducted in Arabic and at the moment I do not know enough of the language to understand the sermons. I will start going to church as soon as I have learnt the language. I must say I miss church.
Do you miss anything else?
Yes, I miss my family a lot. If they were with me there things would be better. I cannot take them with me yet but I look forward to them visiting me soon.
The diet must also be new to you. How are you coping?
I eat mainly seafood and pasta. I enjoy the fish but have a problem with things like crabs and prawns. Meat is also plentiful but I can't get papa. I only realized how much I miss our staple foods when I got back home.
Tell us about your new club.
The set up is very professional and we train once a day. Our training is done in relation to game time. If we are to play an afternoon game we train in the afternoons and when our next game is at night we train under floodlights. The club has a few internationals including two Egyptian national team strikers Abdul Ghany and Abdul Salaam. They are not regulars but Salaam was on the bench when the Pharaohs beat the Zebras 1-0 in Egypt.
How much support does your club have?
Not much because most people support the likes of Al Ahly and Zamalek. We, however, always have a respectable crowd behind us wherever we play because the club is an army side and soldiers are forced to watch in every city we play. There is an army base in nearly every town.
Have you met any players from Southern Africa?
Yes, I have met the Angolans Flavio and Gilberto and the Mozambican Mano-Mano. We know each other from playing against each other in our national teams.
Have you made any friends and if not, how do you spend your spare time?
My friends are my teammates. I spend most of my time at my agent's office because that's where I can relax and talk to people who are not involved with the club but I guess my social life will improve with time.
Thanks for your time. I wish you the best of luck with your club and in the Zebras games.
Thank you too, my brother. It's always a pleasure talking to you.
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