EFA NOT INTERESTED IN THE SPORT – FANIE

EZULWINI – Disappointed!

The word above best describes the feeling of former Denver Sundowns legend Fanie ‘The General’ Terblanche about the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) and the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE). The elite football bodies were not represented during the launch of newly-founded Atibuye Emasisweni Soccer Foundation, which was held at the SibaneSami Hotel yesterday.

The former national team Sihlangu player said he was shocked to learn that the governing body of local football, EFA as well as PLE, failed to attend such an important event, which intended to change the landscape of the country’s football. He revealed that this was due to the fact that both organisations were informed and invited to the launch of the foundation by the Manager Josiah ‘Digger’ Dlamini. “I am shocked that EFA president and technical director as well the PLE CEO are not present here today. This shows that they are not interested in the sport,” Terblanche said.

He revealed that the country was full of talented players, who needed to be identified and nurtured to be better than the yesteryears’ crop of players, but the challenge was that those in power were not taking the sport seriously.
“Another reason we are failing as a country when it comes to the sport, is that elite league teams don’t engage their former players,” he said. The ‘General’ then thanked the Samuel family for coming to the country’s football and legends’ rescue as their former teams as well as the nation never appreciated them.

Meanwhile, EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi ‘Rhoo’ Radabe said he was yet to consult on whether they got the invitation to be part of the event as he was away for almost a month attending another assignment. Radebe was in the ongoing 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
He later on returned to say that there was no invitation which was sent through from the foundation to EFA.

On the other hand, the Eswatini Sports and Recreation Council (ESRC) was represented by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Darius Dlomo, who thanked the legends for standing up to give back to the nation by coaching the youngsters. Dlomo, on the other hand, came hard on the football structures of the country. He said Eswatini employed wrong structures in the country’s football as he wondered why the Chappies Little League was aborted.

“When I was informed about the foundation, my mind started racing as I asked myself how our football was ‘loaned’ out. It is time to claim it back  as the word Atibuye Emasisweni suggests,” Dlomo said. He said after a while still thinking he came to the conclusion that the country employed wrong structures and the newly-formed foundation sought to take it back to the days, where Eswatini used to produce quality players.

“We are not using the correct components of developing the sport. Why was the Chappies League aborted? I think this foundation will use the right components of retrieving the sport from the wrong structures,” he said. Dlomo said the way the foundation was structured showed that it was on the right track towards taking Eswatini football to greater heights. He hoped that they would see tangible products after the seven years projected.

The list of the legends and schools:
Mqolo Primary – Sibusiso ‘Spoko’ Dlamini
Indumiso Primary –Fannie Teblenche
Laobamba National – Wicki Marks
Holy Rosary Primary – Pyscho Mavimbela
Evelyn Baring Primary – Msimisi ‘SMS’ Ncanywa
Siphofaneni Primary – Mgonodi Sidell
Our Lady of Sorrows – Bathathe Dlamini
Hillside Primary – Zandile Bulunga
Nkwalini Primary – Thulisile Ndwandwe
St Michaels – Clement ‘King Clay’ Mdluli
Sigangeni Primary – Bongani Dlamini
 

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