Pascalinah Kabi
MASERU — Lioli Football Club coaches, Katiso Mojakhomo and Retselisitsoe Lephaila, have received a vote of confidence from the club despite a spate of poor results.
Lioli communications and marketing manager Moeketsi Pitso told the Sunday Express on Friday that they will not press the panic button by firing their coaches following calls by supporters to axe the duo.
Angry supporters last week called on the club to sack Mojakhomo and Lephaila after the team’s goalless draw against Likhopo.
The supporters accused the duo of conspiring to sink Lioli into the lower division.
Matters came to a boil when the coaches substituted Ali Maseka with Malebanye Ramoabi and Sorrel Osala with Tšepo Seturumane.
But Pitso this week came to their defence and said the coaches were rightfully carrying out their duties.
“The coaches were doing their job and they have a logical explanation why they substituted Ali despite his impressive performance,” Pitso said.
“Everyone including me was shocked when the coaches substituted Ali but after our meeting with them on Tuesday, they gave a logical explanation,” he said.
He said there was no reason to fire Mojakhomo and Lephaila.
“We can’t just fire coaches because of one incident that supporters feel it’s a reason enough to sack them.
“In fact, when we had the meeting with the technical team on Tuesday, they clearly explained their decision to substitute Ali.
He was playing well but the coaches felt he was making one too many dangerous tackles which gave Likhopo a lot of free-kicks, Pitso said.
“They had to substitute him with someone (Ramoabi) who could stabilise our defence and ensure that Likhopo did not get many free-kicks in our dangerous zone,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pitso said they were set to address their supporters yesterday at Teyateyaneng.
“We are going to address the supporters tomorrow (Saturday) at 14:00 in Teyateyaneng,” he said on Friday.
“The main agenda is to try and calm them down.
The technical team will also be there to address the supporters.”
Comments are closed.