Times Of Swaziland: WE APPEAL FOR SPONSORS – WANDERERS PLAYER

WE APPEAL FOR SPONSORS – WANDERERS PLAYER
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Machawe Fakudze on 18/11/2023 06:57:00


MBABANE – “May potential sponsors please save the team?”
These were the words of a Manzini Wanderers player, who spoke on condition of
anonymity regarding the state of the club. The hub giant’s player  asked for
potential sponsors to come on board, with the club currently not attending 
training ahead of the  Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe-coached side’s emergency
meeting, which is set to take place today at the Manzini  National Library at
2pm.
The player emphasised the urgent need for financial support to ensure the
continuity of the club’s activities and the well-being of its players. He
urged businesses and individuals, who were passionate about sports to invest in
the club, which would, not only benefit the players, but also contribute to the
development of sport in the country.
“The team should be training hard to find good combinations right now, but
unfortunately, we are not. Being in the relegation zone and not training is a
recipe for disaster. This is a very sad situation, especially for a team of our
calibre. Supporters need to understand that there is no magic formula for
success in football. Without consistent training, we will not win any games, and
this hurts, especially since we are one of the biggest teams in the country. We
need to step up our efforts and work together to turn this situation around,”
the player lamented.
The player, whose name remains known to the publication, expressed his concern
for the club’s financial situation and begged for sponsors to step in and
provide support. “You can never perform when you are not motivated and I
appeal to potential sponsors in the country to please save the team. The past
years have been tough for us. We have been losing good players to other teams
and the current situation demands national intervention. The team’s lack of
motivation and the loss of good players is a cause for concern. I’m calling on
potential sponsors to step up and invest in this team, so that we can regain our
momentum and bring back the glory days,” he added.
Bill
It was reported in the past months that the hub giants had a huge bill that had
gone unattended for months. Players and coaches were unpaid for almost the
entire season. The wage bill at Wanderers was confirmed to be at E130 000
monthly. The hub giants, who struggled and had to fight relegation throughout
the past season and eventually survived about three games before the MTN Premier
League 2022/23 ended, lost their South African Director, Cedric Mashile
Mathatha, early in the season, which resumed last October.
Adding up the months from last November to last month, E130 000 totals E910 000.
However, most players’ contracts have since been renewed. It took the team’s
officials, like their Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) Governor, in Lawyer
Bongani ‘Bhanyaza’ Mdluli, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Diana Johnson,
known as ‘Girlie’ and the management committee, led by club legend Berger
‘Hotline’ Nxumalo, to save the club’s blushes, as they sacrificed from
their own pockets and also got assistance from other parties to avoid
relegation.
Struggling
Meanwhile for a struggling team like Manzini Wanderers they should  know that
merchandise sales could be a game-changer for their finances. They can partner
with a local print shop and created a range of high-quality team merchandise,
from t-shirts to hats, as well as branded mugs. They can even  launch an online
store, market the merchandise through social media and even set up a pop-up shop
in their  home games.
The hub giant’s supporters have shown in the past that they love new
merchandise and when availed they always snapped up quickly. The sales made can
be able to  provide a much-needed financial boost and help the team to focus on
the game, rather than their empty coffers. The team’s merchandise sales can
not only bring in the cash, but it also helps to build a stronger connection
with their fans. Wanderers Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mduduzi ‘Mr G’
Ginindza could not be drawn for comment after his cellphone rung unanswered.