Mikia Kalati
MATLAMA star midfielder Phafa Tšosane has been the talk of town in the last three weeks after it was rumoured that he has been protesting the club’s failure to fulfil its promises to him.
Tšosane has not played for Tse Putsoa since the 3-1 win over Lioli in the first weekend of the new-year and has missed his side’s opening three matches of the second round.
According to insiders, Tšosane is unhappy with his current salary at Tse Putsoa and also wants the Econet Premier League Leaders to fulfil a promise made to him by the previous committee to bankroll his studies at the Centre of Accounting.
Well, while I support Tšosane for protesting for what he feels he is worth as a player, my little advice to him is that he should report to work as he is still contracted by the club until the end of the season.
Even if he wants out of the club, absconding training and absenting himself for selection gives his club ammunition to frustrate him until he is a free agent to leave the club at the end of the season.
Sitting at home and not playing will not do his career any good. There is nothing stopping the player from fighting for his rights while he is still honouring the contract that he has with the club.
This is a player who has been very loyal to Tse Putsoa after making his break after the 2009/10 season and I think he has every right to complain if he is unhappy about his contract being a family man who has obligations.
He is also one of the most likeable players I know in the country and I believe the whole dilemma must have been frustrating for him to embark on industrial action.
We all know that football is a short career and to make it worse, local players earn very little.
I am told that Matlama have not reviewed Tšosane’s earnings in a long time and he is said to be nowhere near the club’s top earners; especially new players who joined the club in recent negotiated better salaries.
The unresolved saga between Tse Putsoa and their star midfielder has attracted the attention of rivals Bantu, who immediately made a bid for Tšosane allegedly offering what he is failing to get at his current club.
However, the request has since been turned down with Matlama vowing to fight to retain his services.
I support Tšosane’s course whole heartedly and it’s even impressive to see that one of the things that the player is fighting for is for the club to help him invest in his future by pursing his studies.
It’s very important for our clubs to motivate our players to prepare for life after football, after all its common knowledge that local sports are at an amateurish level and players earn peanuts as compared to other countries.
The left footed midfielder is not getting any younger and is now approaching the twilight of his career. The best thing for him and Matlama at this stage is to sit down and find an amicable solution to their dispute.
If Tse Putsoa cannot offer Tšosane what he is looking for then the best thing for the country’s most decorated team is to let him go instead of tying him down.
The midfielder has been a loyal servant for Matlama throughout his career and the best thing for them is to help further his studies.
The club has proved in their last three games that they can cope without the midfielder but in the same way. However, if they feel they cannot afford to lose him to their rivals, then they must give him what he wants.
