Outrage over rented coaches in Eswatini

MBABANE – Some Eswatini clubs are reportedly using ‘rented’ coaches registered under the guise of managers to bypass stringent licensing requirements.

The shocking revelation was made by Eswatini Football Coaches Association (EFCA) Secretary James Kunene during a poorly-attended Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Sigwaca House in Mbabane on Sunday, October 18. Kunene exposed this underhand practice as one of the primary hurdles facing local tacticians, adding that some clubs have gone as far as signing contracts on behalf of coaches.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) regulations dictate that unlicensed coaches cannot take charge of teams in the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) or continental competitions. The prevalence of rented coaches has further exacerbated frustration among local coaches, who are already grappling with an administrative deadlock that has frozen professional development.

The coaches present expressed deep fury over the Eswatini Football Association’s ongoing delay in hiring an education officer. This missing appointment has effectively stalled the staging of CAF Licensing Courses in the country, which have been inexplicably absent since 2017. Some coaches skip the border for CAF training.

Addressing the simmering tension, the EFA Technical Director acknowledged that appointing an education officer was long overdue. However, he assured the gathering that the position would be filled before the end of the year, enabling local coaches to turn over a new leaf in 2027.

Despite the critical nature of the agenda, attendance was shockingly poor. Out of a pool exceeding 100 coaches nationwide, less than 25 attended yesterday’s sitting. Disgruntled attendees noted that their peers only bother to show up in numbers when it is time for elections.

Meanwhile, the meeting suffered another setback when the presentation of the official financial report was deferred, as Treasurer Dominic Kunene was reportedly held up.

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