Representatives from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture
Representatives from the Botswana National Sports Commission and Botswana National Olympic Committee
FIFA Development Officer and your staff
Members of the BFA National Executive Committee
Chairpersons of Regional Football Associations
Chairpersons of National First Division Leagues
Chairpersons of the Premier League Clubs and/or their Representatives
BFA Delegates
Representatives of the Standing Committees
Sponsors Representatives, here present
Members of the Media
Invited Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen, a very good morning to you all

1. Let me take this opportunity to thank the BFA National Executive Committee (NEC), through its President, Mr. Tebogo Sebego, for having found it fit to invite me to be your guest of honour at this meeting.  I   feel privileged to be talking to leaders of football in Botswana; a sport that is a source of entertainment and national pride for the people of this nation.

2.    Given the importance of the beautiful game of football to many, nationally and internationally, I felt that it would be an opportune moment for all of us here today to reflect on our progress as the BFA and as a country; taking stock of our successes, acknowledging our challenges and defining the path to an even bigger and better future.

3. The key areas of reflection that I will focus on throughout my conversation with you are framed through three questions:

• In the last 50 years of existence of the BFA what have we done well?
• In the last 50 years of existence of the BFA what have we not done so well?
• In the next 50 years of existence of the BFA what will we do differently?

4. The genesis or formation of these questions was prompted when I read the BFA’s Vision, Mission and Values:

• The BFA’s vision is “…to be a self-sustaining organisation of excellence”
• The BFA’s mission is “…to provide an effective football delivery system”
• The BFA’s values “..are; volunteerism, fair play, caring and respect for membership rights and transparency.”

As we progress this conversation, it is important to use these statements as a point of reference!

5. Let’s begin with the first question; what went well in the first 50 years of the BFAs existence? I have gathered a few highlights that I believe are noteworthy and I’m sure you will agree that there are many more we can add to this list.

6. When I was younger, for many years I was of the understanding that the official name of the Botswana National team was the “whipping boys of Africa!” Even war torn and drought stricken nations would have their way with us without breaking a sweat. But where are we 50 years on?

• Our FIFA world ranking has improved tremendously from having an unranked ceremonial team in 1966 to number 90 out of 201 nations in 2016.
• As a result of this, our CAF ranking has improved to 24th out of 57 countries in 2016.
• The quality of our players has followed suite as evidenced by the number of players being attracted to international leagues such as Dipsy Selolwane, Mogogi Gabonamong, Tsotso Ngele, the late Terrence Mophuting, and JJ Ramatlhakwane to name a few.
• The quality of our coaches has also attracted international clubs with the likes of Major David Bright having gone to coach in South Africa.
• Infrastructure development has improved from one national stadium to 15 recognised stadia.
• The BFA has rolled out and participated in grass roots development programmes such as the Re ba bona ha and Chappies league including Under-15 to Under-23 participation in regional COSAFA and CAF games as well as FIFA  games.
• Coaching and capacity building programmes have also pushed the quality of our football leagues from amateur to semi-professional.
• We have moved from a structure that was completely based on volunteerism to one that has created substantive positions for technical support, administration, coaching and team support staff.
• We have seen a growth in sponsorships and financial support from the private sector.
• For many years the BFA operated out of two offices in the crevices of the national stadium, today BFA operates out of the impressive buildings of the Lekidi centre.

From this evidence I feel there has been good progress towards achieving the vision, mission and living the values of the BFA!

7. This leads me to my second question; as the BFA “what have we not done so well in the last 50 years? Although the BFA has managed to spread the gospel of the beautiful game to all corners of Botswana, we must concede the following: Football at a regional level is still very much underdeveloped and under resourced!

• Sub-standard playing grounds and facilities exist across our country.
• There is limited development of coaching and referee skills.
• Financially, the BFA has not been able to raise enough funding to implement all its development programmes. 
• We have not developed enough globally competitive talent.
• The BFA runs almost like a charity organisation dependent largely on donations and grants to sustain it.

8. Ladies and Gentleman; I believe it would be fair to say over the past 50 years the BFA has clearly had its successes and its shortcomings but by in large, the BFA has made good progress from when it was established in 1966 and it has managed to deliver a fair number of the plans it set out to achieve in its strategy. So where to from here?

9. What remains is for us to ask ourselves this critical final question: “What will we do differently in the next 50 years to come?”

10. As you map out the next 50 years are you clear on what your purpose is as the BFA? Is the strategy of yester year still appropriate to take us into the next half century? In attempting to answer this question for myself, I did some research and found some interesting information I thought was worth sharing.

11.    The English Football Associations’ National Football Centre stated the purpose of their existence as follows:

• To be “an inspirational centre for coach education”…and raise “standards and the profile of coaching as a profession”
• To provide “a range of qualifications for every point in the football career path” and “deliver further, higher business education programmes”
• To be “a leading centre of sports medicine and science”
• To “provide world-renowned hotel and conferencing facilities for the business and sporting communities”

To “offer integrated facilities and expertise for screening, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation across all sports”

12. Given these simple, clear and focused statements on career coaching development; is it any surprise that England has produced coaches of the calibre of Sir Alex Fergusson and Sam Allerdyce?

13. The FA’s gross profit in 2014 was reported at £261 Mln which is P3.680 Bln. With income streams from broadcasting, sponsorship and licencing, events and stadia income; is it a surprise then, that the FA is financially self-sustaining? In fact The FA is just the tip of the ice berg; the English football industry reported an estimated £5.3 Bln which is P74.73 Bln gross profit for the same period. Bagaetsho, this may sound like pie in the sky but as a nation we must always aim to be world class! The BFA needs to develop itself into an attractive brand worthy of any investor’s money as opposed to a charity case for investors!

14. The FA’s St George’s Park Football centre provides world class facilities that cater for a range of qualifications in the football career path as well as higher business education programmes; Is it a surprise that British children grow up playing the beautiful game not just for physical wellness and the love of the game but because they know it can be a source of livelihood? David Beckham in his prime was reported to be worth £175 Mln, Michael Owen £40 Mln, Frank Lampard £33 Mln, the list goes on…

15. With that said, I once again ask all of you here today this very very pivotal question:” Is the purpose of the BFA in the next 50 years clear in all of your minds?”

16. The reason I am provoking these thoughts in your minds is because I want you, the Football leadership of Botswana to realise that whatever course of action you take today, will have ripple effects not just in our generation but in many generations to come. The ramifications of your decisions today may well position football as an industry that will have significant impact on our country’s economic development, on employment and above all on national pride and unity. When our children sit in this room 50 years from now and ask themselves the same three questions I have asked you today; what will they say? Will they be proud of what their forefathers and mothers did?

17. Think hard about these questions as you settle into today’s proceedings.

18. Director of ceremonies, Ladies and Gentlemen,   it is now my utmost honour and privilege to declare this 2016 Botswana Football Association Annual General Assembly officially open.

Thank you and God bless you all!