Former Botswana Coach Major David Bright Dies

Major David Bright, who coached at Santos from 2007 to mid-2009 and had a number of spells with the Botswana national side, has died in Gaborone aged 64.

The former Botswana national team coach was an army major who is the only coach from his country to work in South Africa's Premier Soccer League.

The Cape Town club were third at the end of his first season but he was let go after the 2008-09 season when they finished in 10th spot.

Bright had multiple stints as Botswana coach, starting with the COSAFA Cup in 1997. He took over from Saxon Kowa but was replaced by Michael Gaborone after one year in charge.

In 1999, he took charge of the COSAFA Castle Cup match against South Africa which Botswana lost 2-1 in Gaborone but then acted as assistant to Jeff Butler when he took over the Zebras later the same year.

Bright's third stint as national team coach started in early 2000 and he stayed in charge for in just over one year before being replaced by Stanley Tshosane.

Almost two decades later, Bright was appointed Botswana coach again in 2018 and took the team to a first ever away win over Zimbabwe in a friendly in Harare and over Angola in the COSAFA Cup in Polokwane. He was replaced after one year by Mogomotsi Mpote.

"His trophy cabinet is adorned with distinguished awards and medals," said a statement from the Botswana Football Association, who described him as a "national icon and soccer legend."

This article originally appeared on Cosafa

Photo: Cosafa