Times Of Swaziland: FAN IN PLE TICKETS SCAM FAN IN PLE TICKETS SCAM ================================================================================ BY CHRIS DLAMINI on 03/02/2019 08:55:00 LOBAMBA – Eswatini coaches felt important after they were afforded an opportunity to meet new national team Sihlangu coach Kostadin Papic yesterday. This was at the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Technical Centre, whereby over 60 football coaches from regions, First Division and elite coaches attended. The platform left the coaches excited and satisfied that they should work with Papic for their own good as individuals and for the country. While Papic would not give an interview, instead referring all questions to the EFA CEO Frederick Mngomezulu, he still said he was pleased to officially meet the coaches. “Ours was to formally introduce Papic to our coaches who come from all levels of the game in the country and further appeal to them that they give their best support, feel free to work with the coach or call him on players or any issues as he opened his doors to them and will also call them,” said Mngomezulu. He said what was important for Papic was that these coaches are the ones spending more time with the players in the clubs than he will at national level yet he wants professionalism. “He spoke to them about assisting him breach the gap in professionalism between club and national level and emphasised that it should start with the club coaches. Alone, he cannot get anywhere but together they can go places,” he explained. The EFA CEO said Papic was aware that for the national team to succeed, he needed the club coaches’ commitment to the cause of improving the game with the sole purpose of seeing the national team deliver better results. “Ask the coaches what they think about the meeting but I’m happy. They are very important and we’ll work on that,” Papic responded to a WhatsApp text later on the day. discuss Meanwhile, Mngomezulu added that the coaches had Papic’s contacts and were free to call him anytime they sought his help or wanted to discuss anything regarding players or football issues. Some of the coaches interviewed expressed delight at the meeting saying Papic was an open man and easy going so they do not foresee any trouble working closely with the Serbian. “We’re grateful to the EFA for the platform as it has given the opportunity to hear the coach’s expectations and I’d say we will give him all the support. His philosophy is one that really impressed me and I know there’s a lot to learn from him,” said Moneni Pirates’ Terisayi Changara. Manzini Sea Birds’ Anthony Mdluli who was interim coach at Sihlangu before Papic was hired in December last year, also reiterated Changara’s words saying the EFA could not have done any better than this. “It’s a good platform and an opportunity for the coach to be introduced to us as his colleagues. He has laid his working plan for us so we know what he expects. We’re still to have as many courses from the EFA so this was good to open us up,” Mdluli said. Manzini Sundowns’ goalkeeper coach Njabuliso Simelane said he was excited to meet Papic and looking forward to work with him.