There’s an old adage that a new broom sweeps the cleanest, but eish yours truly hope and trusts those who coined that phrase did not have newly installed Brave Warriors stop-gap coach Bobby Samaria in mind.

Yours truly has the greatest respect and admiration for the “Little Corporal” the brother boasts a remarkable coaching pedigree in domestic football and was a fantastic footballer during his playing days with both Eleven Arrows and Black Africa – without a shadow of doubt, the finest ball distributer of his generation.

Fair enough, “Bobsteak” has been given the enviable task to redeem a team that’s low on moral after their dismal failure to fashion a single point from their campaign at Africa’s biggest showpiece, the Africa Cup of nations (Afcon) in the Pyramids of the Pharaohs.

It’s a known fact that footballers take time to buy into the new mentor’s coaching philosophy but anyway so far so good. 

The Brave Warriors managed to squeeze through to the group stages of the 2022 Fifa World Cup Africa qualifiers but alas, let’s not punch above our weight because our path was secured through not exactly convincing hard fought aggregate win against lowly Eritrea.

“Bobsteak” certainly possesses the required pedigree to steer our boys in the right direction given his domestic success. Yours truly has a bone to pick with the surprise selection of African Stars’ veteran defender Pat-Nevin Uanivi, who has been playing under Samaria at Stars for many years.
There has been a chorus of discontent, largely from the Reds’ diehards complaining bitterly about their long serving captain’s omission from the Brave Warriors squad over the years but their pleas kept falling on deaf ears. 

Now, the fundamental question that needs to be asked is; is this a mere token selection to kind of a reward for his longevity and above all, consistency in the game? I’m just wondering.

I hope and trusts the selection is genuine because it will not make any football sense to call up a player of Pat’s experience as a backup, watching his protégés battle it out on the field while kicking his heels on the substitutes’ bench. Such practice will amount to an act of betrayal and humiliation of the highest order.
Personally, I don’t see where the pocket size defender fits in the current setup and what sort of difference or any tangible value does he possess to topple the incumbent twin center back pairing of Ivan Kamberipa and Emilio Martin, from the pedestal. 

Other than that, let us rally behind the boys and the technical team ahead of their penultimate clash against Madagascar this Sunday away in the island country. 

Ooops!!!! Did I hear some thick skulled self-styled “kamstige” football pundits calling for the axing of striker Benson “Styles” Shilongo - labelling him a spent force?. HELLO “Styles” is a proven deadly goal poacher and very skillful athlete for that matter.

You can’t play in the Egyptian Super League week in and week out if you were a “palooka” the boy is rated highly in the land of the Pyramids. Play him to his strength and you get the best out of “Styles”. I rest my 
case!