WINDHOEK – Former Tigers dreadlocked stylish striker, Benson Shilongo, has joined the exodus of local footballers seeking greener pastures beyond the borders of their native land.
The much-travelled Shilongo was last season on the books of Tigers where he played for 18 months. He joined the Ingweinyama from Ramblers via Oshakati City, and is reported to have signed a two-year contact with Botswana’s premier league giants Gaborone United.
According to Shilongo’s business manager Ercher Luanda, the former junior international was a free agent after his South African parent club Blackburn Rovers were relegated from the South African second tier league last season.
“He was only on loan at Tigers for the last 18 months and the expiry of his loan deal at Tigers coincided with his parent club’s relegation – leading to the two parties parting ways amicably. We had appetizing offers from four local teams but the player chose Botswana since he will earn almost twice the amount of money that players in the top bracket in Namibia earn.”
The football-crazy legal practitioner added that apart from the lucrative remuneration perks – the Botswana flagship league is rated highly by clubs campaigning in the highly competitive South African Professional Soccer League (PSL) and could be used as a gateway for Shilongo to earn a contract in the PSL.
Shilongo becomes the second high-profile footballer from our neck of the woods to ply his trade with the fast-improving Botswana Premier League. He follows in the footsteps of former Brave Warriors and Black Africa target man, Jerome ‘the Crocodile’ Louis, who is currently on the books of Township Rollers.