Mikia Kalati
MASERU — Last season’s premier league runners-up, Bantu, will begin their pre-season with a friendly match against Bloemfontein Celtic on Thursday.
Bantu’s communications and marketing manager, Bokang Phasumane, confirmed to the Sunday Express that they have been invited to play against the Clinton Larsen-coached side this Thursday as the two teams start their pre-season preparations for the 2013-14 league campaign.
He also announced that his team will announce their new acquisition in the upcoming weeks.
The Mafeteng-based side were beaten to the league title by Lioli in the very last weeks of the season.
Lioli have, however, made it clear that their target is to wrestle the championship back from Tse Nala in the new season.
A Matšo Matebele, as Bantu are affectionately known, have been linked with former Likhopo coach, Motlatsi Shale, who is expected to take over the coaching reins in the new season.
“Yes, it is true that we have held talks with Shale over possibilities of him joining us next season, but nothing is final at this stage,” Phasumane said.
The Bantu spokesperson also said their former players such as Thapelo Mokhehle, Dlomo Monaphathi, and Pali Tšalong are back in the team after weeks of training with Matlama.
This paper has been reliably informed that the trio have signalled their intentions to make a shock return to their former club just a season after signing for Bantu.
The other player who is also seeking a move from Bantu is Lekhanya Lekhanya who has been training with his former team Likhopo.
The speedy winger struggled to get game time last season due to injuries while he also had off-the field problems with the team after he had shown interest to join LCS.
“I’m not in a position to talk about these players at this stage, but what I can tell is that these players are still contracted to Bantu,” he said.
The Mafeteng-based club are also on the verge of losing their star player Litšepe Marabe.
Marabe, who scored 15 goals in the last campaign to finish as the highest goal scorer in the Vodacom premier league, has caught the attention of a number of South African sides.
Mvela side United FC had seemed to have won the race for his signature, but it is understood that his agent wants the player to join a bigger team playing in the premier league.
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