Ex-Orlando Pirates fan-favourite Thabo Rakhale has admitted he's in limbo following Botswana Football Association's (BFA) implementation of a new rule that foreign players must at least be capped three times by their national teams at any level in order to be registered in that country's Premiership.
The new rule was only communicated to the clubs last Monday, six days after Township Rollers announced they had signed Rakhale on a two-year deal. "The club hasn't told us anything thus far. We're still training with the rest of the squad. I hope something positive happens at the end but for now we are not sure what will happen,'' the 33-year-old Rakhale told Sowetan.
A day after capturing Rakhale, Rollers also confirmed the signing of another South African player in 31-year-old Tshepo "Skhwama" Matete, who was previously in the club's books from July 2017 to July 2018.
Rakhale and Matete joined fellow countryman Siphamandla Sangweni, who had joined Rollers late last month. The 26-year-old Sangweni is a Pirates development product. While Rakhale and Matete never represented SA at any international level, Sangweni boasts two Under-23 caps, meaning he's one game short of meeting BFA's rule.
"This serves to inform all professional clubs that per Article 6.5.4 of regulation on the status and transfer of players ‘a foreign player shall not be registered unless he has three or more caps in any of the national teams.’ Kindly note that the above clauses are operational this coming season [2023-2024] and will be strictly enforced,'' read the widely circulated circular from acting BFA CEO Tshepo Mphukuthi, dated July 10.
Fellow South Africans plying their trade in Botswana – Sifiso Myeni and Rooi Mahamutsa – won't be affected by the new regulations as they each have more than three Bafana Bafana caps. The former Pirates duo play for newly promoted side VTM.
Sowetan emailed questions to BFA but they had not responded at the time of going to print yesterday.
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Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Ex-Orlando Pirates fan-favourite Thabo Rakhale has admitted he's in limbo following Botswana Football Association's (BFA) implementation of a new rule that foreign players must at least be capped three times by their national teams at any level in order to be registered in that country's Premiership.
The new rule was only communicated to the clubs last Monday, six days after Township Rollers announced they had signed Rakhale on a two-year deal. "The club hasn't told us anything thus far. We're still training with the rest of the squad. I hope something positive happens at the end but for now we are not sure what will happen,'' the 33-year-old Rakhale told Sowetan.
A day after capturing Rakhale, Rollers also confirmed the signing of another South African player in 31-year-old Tshepo "Skhwama" Matete, who was previously in the club's books from July 2017 to July 2018.
Rakhale and Matete joined fellow countryman Siphamandla Sangweni, who had joined Rollers late last month. The 26-year-old Sangweni is a Pirates development product. While Rakhale and Matete never represented SA at any international level, Sangweni boasts two Under-23 caps, meaning he's one game short of meeting BFA's rule.
"This serves to inform all professional clubs that per Article 6.5.4 of regulation on the status and transfer of players ‘a foreign player shall not be registered unless he has three or more caps in any of the national teams.’ Kindly note that the above clauses are operational this coming season [2023-2024] and will be strictly enforced,'' read the widely circulated circular from acting BFA CEO Tshepo Mphukuthi, dated July 10.
Fellow South Africans plying their trade in Botswana – Sifiso Myeni and Rooi Mahamutsa – won't be affected by the new regulations as they each have more than three Bafana Bafana caps. The former Pirates duo play for newly promoted side VTM.
Sowetan emailed questions to BFA but they had not responded at the time of going to print yesterday.
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