After entering into a partnership with a Botswana club, Kaizer Chiefs legend Willard Katsande has reflected on how he established his clothing brand, urging current footballers to start thinking unconventionally.
Katsande recently secured a three-year clothing and apparel partnership with Botswana Premier League side Black Lions FC. The 39-year-old will specifically provide the team’s travelling kits.
This is Katsande’s first major partnership with a professional football team. Coincidentally, Black Lions FC are in their debut season in the Botswana top-flight under the Sebata Group.
In an interview with FARPost, Katsande said the rise of his Boss Ya Mboka brand should inspire current Betway Premiership players to think outside the box.
He also offered a candid look into the origins of his clothing brandrevealing it began almost as a joke before evolving into a serious business venture.
KATSANDE URGES PLAYERS TO THINK UNCONVENTIONALLY, REVEALS HOW HIS FASHION BRAND BEGAN
“You know, it started maybe like a joke. Fashion has been part and parcel of me since I was young,” Katsande told FARPost. And, you know, as footballers, we wanted to dress well. You know, when you’re a footballer, you want to dress well to make sure that when you bump into these younger ones, they’ll be motivated to say, “This is our role model.”
“When I started this project, I saw that the people received it well and especially when I stopped playing, retired, and people were still talking about me.
“And that showed we’re headed in the right direction. We started small, but now we are going big with this newly promoted team, newly formed team, Black Lions.”
The former Sekhukhune United star added: “And I’m really grateful for them to give me an opportunity to dress them. And with our style, we hope to attract many teams to knock on our door.
“The most important thing is to continuously grow as an individual, as a small brand, especially in football, because there’s a huge following.
“So the more we provide and be professional, that’s the more we’re going to get more deals. You know, as a footballer, you have to think outside the box. You need to keep hustling and enter into unexploited spaces. So I mean, I’m a hustler. I grew up in a village that made me who I am.”
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