NATOS VERSION OF THE STORY Botswana international Ofentse Nato has poured cold water over reports that he has quit the national team at just age 25. The retirement claims come after reports that the former Bidvest Wits and Mpumalanga Black Aces midfielder arrived in camp drunk before the Zebras played and lost 2-0 t0 Egypt in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier last Friday at National Stadium in Gaborone. Nato, who is back in India where he plays for Atletico de Kolkata, gives KickOff gives his side of the story. KICK OFF: Why are you retiring at age 25? OFENTSE NATO: I have not retired… I’m just not happy that there are allegations that have been made about me, but I have not retired. KO: What are the allegations? ON: There was an issue that I didn’t report for camp and apparently they didn’t know where I was. The next thing was that I reported to camp late and that I was drunk at training. The person (coach Peter Butler) is saying different things and I don’t know why. KO: What is your side of the story? ON: I reported for camp on Sunday afternoon (October 5) and we had training at 07:30 on Monday morning, and I was on time. If I was drunk at training, why did he (the coach) let me train? The allegations were made after I had attended the morning session and my question is, if I was drunk why did he let me train? I trained the whole session and left afterwards. He never said anything to me and I was just surprised that the allegations were made. If I can be honest with you, the Indian League was starting on Sunday (October 12) while I was due to play for Botswana on Friday (October 10) and the people from my club (Atletico de Kolkata) did try before I left to talk to the association (Botswana Football Association) because they felt they needed me to play in the opening match. I said to the club, ‘There are always issues of players being caught in between club versus country and I don’t want to be caught in between. So when you do your things, please excuse me’. But when I got to the national team camp, I could feel that was an issue. KO: Go on… ON: Usually when international players arrive, they are given some time off and the players who play in South Africa were not present in the morning session on Monday but I was told to come to training. Why? I don’t know. I was told to be part of the session and I was part of it, but why me? I had travelled all night and at least I could have been given the morning off and then attend the afternoon session or if I train in the morning, can I at least get the afternoon off… The coach didn’t say anything about the players who were not in camp (those playing in South Africa) so it means he had given them time off. As for me, he didn’t want to give me time off and I don’t know why. I didn’t go to the afternoon session and the coach then called my agent (Paul Mitchell) to tell him I came to training drunk, and I didn’t pitch up for the afternoon session then I’m suspended (for misconduct). If I pitched up for the afternoon session, was he going to tell my agent that I came to the morning session drunk? If he thought I was drunk, he should have spoken to me during that morning session. He did not do that and he let me train. Or he could have asked someone to take me to BFA to tell them I’m drunk and if so, then take me for a test to determine whether I’m drunk or not. Fair enough. KO: What’s your response to claims that this is not the first time you arrived in camp drunk? ON: I’m surprised. Even you, have you ever heard something like that before? The thing is the coach had an issue with Mogogi Gabonamong and he ran to the media. Secondly, he had an issue with the CEO and he ran to the media. Now, there is an issue with me and I heard that there is an issue between him and Mogakolodi Ngele. He should have called Ngele to talk to him because they were all there in Botswana. I think issues like this must be sorted out in camp and not in the media. I did send the coach an SMS saying that I heard from my agent that I’m suspended so I would go to camp to fetch my things and go back to India and he said, ‘No, no come so we can have a meeting’ and I said no, because he told my agent that I’m suspended and therefore, it shows that he doesn’t need me. KO: So what now? ON: The coach told the media that he will never call me again until I apologise to him and my teammates for coming to training drunk. This is hard for me, because if I apologise it means I agree that I was drunk but I was not drunk. I’m not there in Botswana to tell my side of the story so everyone believes what he is saying so I don’t know what to do. KO: If the BFA arranges a meeting between you and the coach to sort this out for the sake of the country, would you agree to attend the meeting and sort this out? ON: I think that will be the best thing to happen. This is what should have been done in the first place instead of the whole thing being discussed in the media. If it was proven that I was drunk I could have accepted my punishment and apologise, but I was not drunk. KO: So what can you tell the people back home about your international future and commitment? ON: I have been in the national team since I was 18 and it has never been about the money. I will always be committed to the national team and I love my country. But why would I apologise for something that I didn’t do? I was told that for me to be called I must first apologise – that’s the issue. It is a tricky situation. Article by: Tiyani wa ka Mabasa Who is fooling who?? You be the judge.
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:46:12 +0000
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