Bright keen to give back to local football
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday September 9, 2016 14:24
In South Africa, Bright had spells with Santos, Bay United, Thanda Royal Zulu, Sivutsa Stars, FC Cape Town and Black Leopards. Locally, he made his name at Mogoditshane Fighters leading them to back-to-back league champions in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
Bright also had spells with Township Rollers, Gaborone United and the Under-23 team, which came agonisingly close to qualifying for the 2012 London Olympic games.
Bright said he is proud of his achievements and it is time he gives back to local football.
“I have achieved a lot in my career as a coach,” he said. “I have gone to different places where I have gained vast experience and now I want to plant what I learnt here in my country, hence I have volunteered to assist Morupule.”
Although Wanderers’ target is to be in the Premiership in 2018, Bright said his target is immediate. He said the team is not in a perfect condition yet, but there are positive signs.
“I am inheriting a side that has just been promoted to the First Division and did not have good pre-season preparation. The team spent a lot of time assessing players than preparing.
“However, there is a good mixture of young players complemented by a number of experienced players and I believe we can work with that.
There are a good number of 15- to 17-year-olds from development sides around Palapye and my ambition is to give them a run and in future make them the backbone of this team.” He said bringing in new signings now will disturb their schedule, which is behind and he will only beef up the squad in January.
“It is already late to bring new additions that I might wish to work with, but we can push with the team that we have until the next transfer window and then we can take it from there, but my target remains (promotion to) the Premiership next season.
Quizzed if his move to the lower tier football means he is nearing his retirement, Bright said he does not want to get caught in football politics associated with local big clubs.
“There is too much politics in the so-called big teams of our country, especially teams in Gaborone and I don’t want to involve myself in those politics,” he quipped. “There is still something that beats me with the way they treat local coaches.”
“However, when I considered returning home, my idea was always to get a team that I would take from humble beginnings and turn into a monster like I did with (Mogoditshane) Fighters some years back and Morupule offered that platform. I still believe that is achievable,” he said, adding that, “Football is my life and I still have a lot to offer. I want to make this club a success story and I believe I will be here for long, retiring has never crossed my mind”.