The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
FORMER Highlanders player and manager, Lawrence “Lofty” Phiri has set his sights onto bouncing back into the club’s administration and has revealed he will be throwing his name into the ring for the secretary’s post in next year’s elections.
Highlanders is scheduled to hold elections next year for the posts of chairman, secretary and committee member whose term of office ends next month.
Phiri, a decorated Bosso player and manager said he had been approached to consider running for one of the posts up for grabs next year and after wide consultations he opted to enter the race for the secretary’s post.
The incumbent, Emmet Ndlovu is reportedly not seeking re-election although he is yet to confirm the reports.
Phiri said it was difficult for him to ignore requests to come and assist “stabilise” Bosso as the club took a wrong direction with 2017 being one of the most difficult years endured by the club in recent times.
Phiri said Highlanders members and supporters he engaged expressed concern over the seemingly dumping of the club’s tradition which has been the foundation of the club’s success over the years.
“Some members are concerned about the club seemingly going off the rails and attributed this to neglect of tradition thus asking me to make a return.
They suggested different roles but after wide consultations I decided to consider the secretary’s post,” he said.
Lofty said he will forever remain grateful and be at service to Highlanders as the club paid for his Junior Certificate and O’ level examination fees.
Phiri (67) revealed he was aware duties done by the secretary have been apportioned to the chief executive officer but he felt there are many areas that he could work on in consultation with other members of the executive.
He said his main aim would be to assist bring stability to Bosso working with other members of the Highlanders family to return the club to winning ways adding he would only take up one term as secretary.
Phiri’s involvement at Bosso began in the early 1960s as a young boy carrying bags of senior players and shining their boots which was followed up by playing for the side’s juniors, moving to the senior squad, had a stint as team coach and later turned manager.
He left Bosso in 1993 and headed for Botswana where besides working as an estate agent he became deeply involved with Notwane Sports Club where he held various administrative positions that saw him being involved in youth development, policy development, sports facilities management, constitutional development and general sports administration.
Phiri, who was part of a group that initiated and made the acquisition of property for the club when he worked at a local property company, said he was saddened by the fact that no development progressive-wise had been made over the last 30 years at the Clubhouse and house in Luveve 5, which was used as a camping facility in the 80s and 90s.
He said to foster a bigger Highlanders brand it was critical to promote other sporting codes within the family.
“I think there is no co-ordination at the moment with football being at the apex while other disciplines are operating on their own, but if we have to grow the brand we need to be known by all sports fans and not just football supporters.
“If we combine efforts with other disciplines we can produce national team players for each sporting code and this would have a big impact on the Highlanders brand which we can then exploit commercially to the best of our ability,” added Phiri.
He said it was worrying to note that the membership was shrinking and lack of strategies to grow members, whom he felt are critical to the survival of the club.
Phiri said unity and commitment to the Highlanders cause is what can lead Bosso to success both on and off the field.
“I think we need leaders than can unite the team also harness the efforts of all club members and supporters and ensure they are channelled towards the growth and success of the club. We cannot pull in different directions and expect to achieve growth and success,” he said.
Phiri said being in Botswana for the past 23 years will not hinder his return to the club as he has been closely in touch with stakeholders and since his return in April he has been incorporated in the club’s Celebrations Committee that is hosting annual countdown towards 100 years and has also been tasked with leading the crafting of the club’s youth development policy.
