EZULWINI – Dreaming big!
Royal Leopard Public Relations Officer (PRO) Frank Hurube imagines a future whereby rival fans share the stands during local football matches. Hurube was addressing PROs from various Premier League teams during their end-of-year celebration held at Polar Park in Ezulwini yesterday.
The event was also attended by Montigny’s Sihle Mavuso, who served as the guest speaker, alongside sports journalists from the country’s leading media houses.
“My dream is to see rival supporters sharing stands during games, as we have seen this work successfully in other countries,” Hurube remarked.
The Ingwe Mabalabala spokesperson also took the opportunity to congratulate Young Buffaloes’ long-serving Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sandile Gwebu, on his recent appointment as the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) Public Affairs Officer.
“On behalf of the PROs, I would like to congratulate seasoned spokesperson Sandile Gwebu on his new position within the army,” he said. Hurube urged all club PROs to support Gwebu in his national duties, pledging that the fraternity would stand firmly behind him.
Meanwhile, the PROs commended one another for their recent collective charity work, including the donation of food parcels to former XI Men in Flight legend Gogo Simelane. They resolved to continue these charitable efforts for struggling former players and to actively seek corporate sponsorship for the project.
… prioritise player education, PROs advised
EZULWINI – Montigny’s Sihle Mavuso has issued a stern challenge to football public relations officers (PROs), urging them to address the deep-seated issues affecting players and the local game.
Speaking as the guest speaker at Polar Park, Mavuso highlighted a growing crisis in player mental health, directly linking it to unfulfilled financial promises within the industry. “We must consider the mental health of our players in relation to promised signing-on fees,” Mavuso noted.
“When these financial commitments go unpaid, it creates a grey area regarding a player’s professional status. Financial instability leads to distracted, stressed athletes, which is a significant reason why the quality of football is suffering and fans are staying away from stadiums.”
Addressing the officials directly, Mavuso reminded the gathering that the PRO is the true face of the club. “The PROs are the brands of these teams. If the stands are empty, we must ask ourselves what role our brand management is playing in that decline,” he said.
A central pillar of Mavuso’s address was the urgent need for academic development. He insisted that the issue of education must be treated with the utmost seriousness by all stakeholders.
“Teams should encourage schoolgoing players to prioritise their studies alongside their football careers,” Mavuso urged. “Clubs must play a definitive role in the education of their players. Because we do not yet have a fully professionalised league, education is the only real safety net these young men have.”
Mavuso concluded by calling on clubs to maintain a sense of history and gratitude. “We must continue visiting our legends. Staying connected to those who built this game is essential for the growth and identity of our modern clubs,” he stated.
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