Lijabatho FC returns to training  

TEBOHO JAFETA

MASERU – Premier league rookies Lijabatho FC publicist, Tšepiso Thoso, says the club is pulling all stops to ensure adherence to Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) and Premier League requirements for the return to football to ensure that the club soon reports to camp for training.

Thoso said that they are working tirelessly to achieve the task at hand for the safety of their players and technical team.

“The team has satisfied all requirements on Thursday and we have been given the greenlight to resume training. The club committee, together with the technical team, is yet to decide on the date to begin our sessions – which is something that is expected to happen very soon,” he said.

According to Thoso, only five premier league clubs have so far passed the procedures for the return to football and have been given greenlight to start their training sessions.

He further said their players and technical team have been earning their full salaries without fail throughout the sports suspension period.

This after almost all the premier league and A-Division clubs cut their players’ salaries due to the financial impact brought by the sports suspension as a result of COVID-19 resurgence in Lesotho. He added that this happened through the support of their main sponsor, Sima Communications.

When COVID-19 first hit the country, some premier league clubs cut their players’ salaries and provided them with half salary and have since been using that portion while some A-Division clubs opted to cover food and accommodation needs for their players.

And Thoso said team head coach, Thabile Secker’s contract is still up to date and the team is satisfied with his services. “We are still satisfied with him and in continuing with his serivrs.”

Upon his arrival at the Morija-based side in January 2020, Secker signed a five months’ contract which expired during the end of the 2019/2020 league season but had since been renewed for one year until the end of the 2020/2021 season.