Exclusive: Expatriate coaches dominate Botswana as league kicks off

Botswana’s elite FNB Premiership kicks off on Friday with a record 10 expatriate coaches outnumbering six locals. This is the highest number of international trainers in a domestic league for Southern Africa and the continent.

In fact, some COSAFA countries such as Malawi and Zambia do not have foreign trainers in their domestic leagues while the rest have very minimal coaching imports. Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Namibia have two expatriates each and Lesotho (three).

Arguably, South Africa’s Betway Premiership has the second highest international tacticians totaling six. This still pales in comparison to Botswana.

10 foreign coaches versus six locals

Botswana’s 16-member league kicks off with a meeting between Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Botswana Defence Force XI, both coached by locals Pontsho Moloi and Mogomotsi Mpote respectively.

The other home-grown tacticians are Joseph Mokgacha for Calendar Stars FC, Matabele FC’s caretaker coach Ikageng Tsatsi, Agang Mogotsi for Morupule Wanderers FC and Leutlwetse Tshireletso (Santa Green).

While all eyes are on United as they kick start their title defence away to Stars on Saturday, it is difficult to ignore the influx of the expatriates in the diamond-rich nation.

Pantev leads international coaches’ brigade

Bulgarian Nicholaev Dimitri Pantev will once again lead Gaborone, a team he steered to the league glory last season, months after crossing the floor from Orapa United.

Pantev is not the only European in the Botswana’s league. There is Irishman Sean Connor, a well-known figure in the PSL of South Africa, Nikola Kavazonic of Sua Flamingoes and Rollers’ Srdan Zivojnov, both Serbians.

From the perspective of African expatriates, Zimbabwe has exported more tacticians to Botswana. This is probably due to the exploits of their compatriot Elias Chiyemba. The Zimbabwean won the coach-of-the-year award last season following his exploits with TAFIC FC.

Chinyemba is now Orapa United’s handler while his compatriots Paradzayi Mandivenga at Police XI and well-known Mandla Mpofu lead TAFIC FC.

Zambia, too, is well represented in Botswana. Mike Sithole is in charge of Extension Gunners while countryman Reuben Chikoti is managing NICO United.

Former Orlando Pirates and Platinum Stars handler Owen Da Gama is the only South African managing a FNB Premiership club. He joined Black Lions FC a few days ago.

Why the influx of expatriate coaches?

The influx of the expatriates in the Botswana league is attributed to several factors, including the competitive perks that clubs are offering and limited qualifications of locals most of whom have been tried and tested.

Clubs are now opting for highly-qualified foreigners possessing CAF/UEFA A or Pro licences to elevate the performance of their teams beyond domestic leagues into CAF tournaments.

Botswana’s sports reporter Kagiso Kgaogano of KillerPass sports outlet attributed the growing traffic of foreigners into the FNB Premiership to, until the recent past, a shortage of highly qualified tacticians.

“In terms of foreign coaches, previously there was a shortage of qualified coaches with CAF A-Licence. [However], Botswana Football Association has now acted on that and trained more coaches,” Kgaogano told Pan Africa Football.

“Now, the problem is that those coaches are the tried-and-tested ones. Some of those have bad blood with teams. The other thing is just about local administrators undermining local coaches.”

Another school of thought is that other coaches view Botswana as a perfect launchpad for an international career, hoping to use their success as a bait for teams in South Africa.

Chiyemba alluded to the above fact, saying he sees Botswana as a stepping stone for a move to the Betway Premiership, which pays better and is ranked among the continent’s finest leagues.

“I want to win the Botswana Premier League before moving to coach in South Africa,” Chiyemba told The Herald newspaper of his motherland, Zimbabwe.

Need for screening ‘plumbers’

Botswana’s veteran journalist Mqondisi Dube, writing in Mmegi newspaper edition of January 14 2025, highlighted the benefits of having more expatriates in the FNB Premiership.

“The local coaches will feel rightly disappointed as they play second fiddle, particularly for the lucrative jobs at big clubs like Township Rollers,” Dube argued.

“It must, however, be understood and appreciated that the presence of some foreign coaches is beneficial to the game. Even what is regarded as the best league in the world, the English Premier League, is dominated by managers from outside.”

Dube stressed the need for screening of the expatriates to avoid the influx of the unqualified ones who are loosely called plumbers in the South Africa football fraternity.

“However, this should be carefully managed where doors should only be opened for those who add value. This means strict screening to ensure the league is not dominated by the so-called ‘plumbers.”