Teboho Molapo
MASERU — Likuena international Moli Lesesa will become the first-ever player in domestic football to be paid a salary following his move from Joy Football Club to Nyenye Rovers last week.
Lesesa joined Nyenye on a six-month loan deal that will see the 26-year-old midfielder earning a M3 000 monthly salary during his stay at the club.
The inspirational Lesesa — who has been capped 24 times — was one of the league’s star performers last season, inspiring Joy to an eighth-place finish on the log.
But the 2009/10 season has not been the same and Lesesa has only featured in two Premier League matches so far — firstly due to a wrist injury and then because of a dispute over his request for a transfer.
In September last year, Lesesa said he would not play for Joy and a month later, was slapped with a ban by the club.
“After his suspension, Moli came and he explained his problems. But we have let him go under certain conditions,” Molapo said.
This will make Lesesa the first ever player in Lesotho to have a monthly salary.
Under terms of the agreement Lesesa will not feature in any matches against Joy.
After a successful 2008/09 campaign, Lesesa was linked with several moves away from Sebothoane with Nyenye Rovers and LCS becoming favourites to sign him.
However, no deal materialised due to what are said to have been hardball tactics by Joy who reportedly demanded M25 000 for Lesesa’s services.
In August, Molapo described Lesesa — who has been with the club since its days in the C-Division nine years ago — as a symbol of the club and would not let him go.
“Moli is a symbol of this club and it won’t be easy to let him go. But we know that he is at a stage in his life when he has to look at his future,” Molapo had said.
The loan nature illustrates how difficult negotiations had been. If Nyenye Rovers wants to keep Lesesa they will have to begin negotiations afresh.
“He is our player now,” Nyenye Rovers public relations officer, Thabiso Jomane said.
“We are very satisfied because we have been crying for a player like him for a long time and I’m sure he will help us (to avoid relegation),” he said.
Currently, Lioli is the only team that is known to pay players but they are only allowances with no set contracts.
Premier League chairman, Tlholo Letete called the development “a step in the right direction”.
“He is going to be the first player to be paid. That’s a step in the right direction. We also recently saw Lioli launch a kit sponsorship. If we can all work together at club level, then there will be more players like Moli in the future,” Letete said.
Meanwhile, Jomane also revealed they are in negations to extend the stay of Chaka Maile, who is on loan from Mphatlalatsane.
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