LMPS buoyant ahead of new season

Moorosi Tsiane

LMPS coach, Mosito Matela, is confident his team will launch a strong challenge for honours after the acquisition of new players ahead of the 2017/2018 premier league season which gets underway on 26 August.

Affectionately known as Simunye, LMPS have acquired Kamohelo Kotelo from Kick4Life, Relebohile Mabone from Matlama and the Sky Battalion duo of Reitumetsi Maqalika and Katleho Tatai.

Tšepo Seturumane who was at the centre of a tug of war between LMPS and Lioli where he played last season, returned to the LMPS and started training with them on Wednesday.

The police outfit travelled to Swaziland last weekend to play their Swaziland police counterparts, Royal Leopards.

“We had a very good trip to Swaziland and it gave me a chance to test the new faces and I was impressed,” Matela said.

“For a long time we have been a mid-table team but things are going to change and this season going to compete with the big guns.

“We are building a team that will make LMPS the respected side it was back in the days,” said the former Bantu technical director.

Matela said he would fuse youth and experience to produce a style of play that combined experience and energy.

“You need experienced players to compete with the so-called big teams and you also need energy. That is why we also acquired young players to bolster our squad and they will blend well with experienced campaigners some of whom will be eased out as age is catching up with them.”

LMPS finished seventh last season and Matela said discipline was their major problem.

“We are a disciplinary institution so there is no reason for our team to suffer because of ill-discipline. I have seen some signs of that already and we will work hard to root that out because those are the things that destroy teams.

“We need to start the league on a high note that says we should focus and make sure we don’t lose our heads,” Matela said.

Meanwhile, LMPS are in negotiations with Sandawana for the services of Likuena striker Roboama Koloti who was on loan to the police outfit for six months last season.

LMPS will begin their league campaign with a short trip to the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) on the 27 August at LCS Ground.