My Day with South Sudan Football Team Manager in Juba
5 min readBy Malith Alier, Juba, South Sudan
October 9, 2015 (SSB) — Many of my countrymen may not be familiar with Doran Dordevic, the Serbian gentle soul and contracted South Sudan football coach.
South Sudan football Association came into being after the country’s independence from Sudan in 2011. The football team is dubbed “Bright Star(s).” The team was also known as Tiger(s)
The euphoria of independence brought high hopes and tinges of perfection in everything when the back of Sudan, the oppressor was farther away. The new government in the free South of the then united country spared no effort to recruit the best skills particularly those the country needs most. Many of the existing positions were already filled with zeal by able South Sudanese without fuss about specific requirements.
My encounter with Coach Doran was in Juba Bridge Hotel (JBH) located along the Nile River and not far from the river main bridge hence the name Juba Bridge Hotel. I used to frequent JBH since I came to reside in Juba in late 2009. JBH is a first class hotel serving variety of cuisines and is a symbol of cosmopolitanism in the country.
It used to be a primary accommodation for government guests during the interim period and thereafter. Some people alleged that is associated with the former VP now rebel leader. The author does not know whether this claim is true or false.
One Saturday morning of the first week of eleventh month of the year 2012 I went to JBH with The Citizen Newspaper in my hand. I sat on a table at the riverfront facing the river to the east. The sun was getting warmer and warmer. As soon as I sat, a short chubby man approached from behind and patted me on the back. He seemed to have been attracted by the Newspaper I carried.
Rightly so, he didn’t hesitate to ask for the subject of his attention, The Citizen newspaper. I obliged and gave it to him. He went and sat on a different table because there were so many of them on the riverfront.
At this stage I was asking myself many questions why the chubby white man who obviously seemed affluent by the fact that he puts up at expensive JBH failed to purchase for himself the highly regarded paper in town.
Many days later I returned with another Citizen newspaper and in addition a large Samsung phone known as Note 10.1 I sat at the same table as usual. Several minutes later the same guy approached and this time sat together with me because we were becoming familiar. He both looked at the newspaper and the Samsung oversized phone which looks almost like a small computer. Doran asked where I got the phone from. I told him from Nairobi, Kenya. “This is good” he said.”I have a project where I want some members of South Sudan football Association to have such phones like this” he continued. “I want ten or twelve members to benefit from such a project.”
It was at this stage that Doran seemed to have warmed to me as if we were long time friends. He started talking about many other projects associated to him or SSFA. One of such projects was right next door at Da Vinci Hotel. Da Vinci is slightly overpriced than JBH. The proprietor is said to be one German or Italian whose name is difficult to remember. I personally have been to Da Vinci a number of times. You can find meals there that cost well over SSP 300. This was though at the time when South Sudan Pound was gold. Now it may be more.
My good friend Doran kindly requested me to go with him to inspect an office in Da Vinci. On arrival we met a manager. He requested him to open the office so that his new friend and possible business partner may see the office space. In deed we saw the office space under final finishing. Shortly thereafter we came out and took seats under a mango tree where many Lodge visitors normally sit.
The Nile bank mango trees are so shady and anyone seated under them does not need an air-conditioned room. This is ideal for summer conditions. Just go there around the months of December through to march to enjoy free shade comfort of the mango tree. It is also at this period that mango trees start bearing fruits.
While seated under the beautiful shade, we ordered soft drinks as we chat about the office and possible business ventures. Doran got distracted from time to time whenever some visitors arrived. He had armed himself with business cards which he distributed to Lodge visitors including some ministers of the national government in Juba. A couple of ministers who I know visited the Lodge that day. This lodge is a high profile place which attracts big people with big pockets.
“Hi, I am Doran Dordevic, the coach of South Sudan National Football Team” he introduced himself to the first minister. He also produced his business card for the minister. The second minister received the same treatment. The time came to around two o’clock when Malith contemplated disappearance.
Mr. Dordevic became too preoccupied with everybody visiting Da Vinci leaving no room for our supposed business meeting. Many days later, the South Sudan football coach disappeared from the country.
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