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PIRATES KEEN ON REBRANDING, DEVELOPMENT

28/09/2022 15:19:00 Pholsile Hlophe

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MBABANE – Moneni Pirates new Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mbuso ‘Minister Kingdom’ Hlophe has his hands full this season.

However, Hlophe is ready to elevate the club’s image. A club PRO holds one of the most important positions and that includes managing the flow of information; liaising with the media; establishing communication goals; assessing the club’s public image; and reviewing marketing material, among other duties. The newly-appointed ‘Buccaneers’ of Moneni PRO was unveiled on Sunday following the restructuring of Pirates Management Committee as well as the technical bench ahead of the new season that kicks off on Saturday. Pirates will face Tambuti at the Prince of Wales Sports Ground, starting at 3pm. Hlophe shared his aspirations, targets and vision for the club during a one-on-one interview as he began his PRO duties. Below he unpacks his plans for the teams.

Who is Mbuso Hlophe?
“Mbuso Hlophe, known as ‘Minister Kingdom’ is a young man from Ezulwini (Buka) under the Hhohho Region. I’m a very kind; loving and respectful man who is passionate about good football and for me, only Moneni Pirates can give that. I’m a supporter of Moneni Pirates FC. My love for Pirates dates back to the days of the Trade Fair. I would go there and watch the team play. That was when I fell in love with the good football they play. Since then, my heart has always been connected to this football club. I witnessed our historic win of the 2015 SwaziBank Cup (now EswatiniBank), which I will never forget.”

As the new PRO, what is your ideal development strategy for Moneni Pirates?
“We have a holistic approach to development and that includes the players, mangers and staff. This season we will challenge ourselves for the top four bracket finish and that we need to execute an exclusive competitive edge. We want to earn respect through high performance and that be known to other teams whenever they think of Moneni Pirates. We are not only planning around the league but we want to compete in any Cup competitionsand perform fairly well.”

What income generating strategies do you have in place to resolve the club’s financial challenges?
“We are a big club with challenges and big goals. We will develop plans, talk people and approach companies that we feel can be of good help to the team to put in money. In due course, we will communicate marketing strategies because they are there and we just need to get on the ground and work. We will be selling shares to people for as little as E100 so that they can invest their money and be part of the team. The MC hit the ground running and secured a club house for the players, cutting about E40 000 costs, which we used to spend in transporting players. We are the only team in the country that has proven beyond doubt that we can carry this club and it has been seen in our games. I must say a big thank you to Moneni Pirates supporters for the good job they have always done for the boys and the team.”

As club PRO, how best will you execute this responsibility, especially with regards to the media?
“Dealing with the media and people is very important, but I think one has to be careful. One needs to be well-versed with the issues of the club, exercise truthfulness and know how to give out information. One has to know the facts with every story and know the motives of the people we deal with. Information is key to winning or losing people, so I believe I will be strong enough not to force anything but to face the people with facts and establish a good yet transparent relationship with the media.”