Former Magesi FC head coach Owen Da Gama has provided a detailed explanation of his move to Black Lions FC in the Botswana Premier League.
Known as 'Rubber Doll' in local football, Da Gama was released from Magesi FC during the pre-season after successfully helping the team maintain their status in the Premier Soccer League.
The Lions recently acquired the top-tier status of VTM Football Club in Botswana and are currently in pre-season camp in South Africa.
"I received a call from the chairman, and we began discussing the opportunity. He followed up with me, and we took it from there. They came to see me, and I signed yesterday. The Lions management wants us to build a strong team there," Da Gama told KickOff.
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"I have signed a three-year contract, and this year's mandate is to avoid relegation. We obviously need to improve over time since we are starting from scratch."
Da Gama also explained his reasons for accepting a job outside of South Africa.
"In the PSL, how do you apply for a job when people already know your CV and your achievements? If people want you, they should come and talk to you. Unfortunately, nobody approached me. I believe the issue was that my departure from Magesi was late, after the pre-season started, which meant many teams had already appointed their coaches.
"I think my chances of finding a team in South Africa would have been better if we had separated at the end of the season. But these incidents happen in football. I won't comment on any rumours about coaches backstabbing each other in South African football, because one needs proof for such claims. However, I sometimes wonder why certain things happen," he added.
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"I enjoyed my time at Magesi, and I'm glad I was able to help them avoid relegation. Things looked dire when I arrived. It was unfortunate that we had to part ways. I was genuinely shocked by Magesi's decision. However, as a professional, I had to accept it because I believe God has plans for everyone.
"Still, when you leave a team, it should always be about results. I'm very excited to be joining Black Lions, a very ambitious club that is run professionally.
"We played a friendly on Friday against Pretoria Callies and another match against Tuks on Saturday. We won against Pretoria Callies 3-2 and lost to Tuks 2-0. I just sat on the bench to observe and didn't involve myself too much in the games.
"I chose Black Lions because it represents something fresh and different. Exposure drives character. I'm eager to coach in a different country and gain new experiences. I'm happy they chose me."
