Ramoreboli open for coaching job in Lesotho

 NTHAKO MAJORO

MASERU – The 2021 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup winning coach, Morena Ramoreboli, has revealed his desire to return to Lesotho for a run as coach in the elite league. The associate coach of South African Bafana Bafana said he couldn’t turn down an offer from Lesotho under any circumstances.

Ramoreboli, who has just led Bafana Bafana to COSAFA Cup glory, graced the local league as a mentor to former Lesotho champions, Lioli, twice. The last time Ramoreboli coached Lioli was in the 2018/19 season on a six-month contract but turned down an offer for renewal by the Lioli management at the time.

Ramoreboli, who regards himself as a Mosotho because he is from the Free State, in South Africa, said at the time he had to return to his home country. Bafana Bafana, under Ramoreboli’s guidance, as the stand-in head coach hammered Likuena 4-0 in the just-ended COSAFA Cup, with the coach saying beating Likuena with such a big score was a sign that he knew about Lesotho’s football – the style of play and individual players’ skills.

“It wouldn’t be good for me not to play well against my home team (Likuena),” said Ramoreboli in an interview with Public Eye last Friday. “I had to prove that I know them and their playing style. If I wouldn’t do so they would not understand when I say I know Lesotho.” Ramoreboli further said: “Now I think Basotho understand very well when I say I know Lesotho like I know myself.”

Ramoreboli also said he knew that Basotho were very proud of him for winning the COSAFA Cup, just like the South Africans and his Free State people were. “I have just arrived at home in the Free State and people here have congratulated me; some of them have done so telephonically while others have visited me and I know if I could come to Lesotho I would get the same reception that I got in Free State.

“So I have to thank Basotho and the South African people for the support they showed to me.” Ramoreboli said he realised while he was plying his trade in Lesotho that Lesotho is a football nation. “I love Basotho very much. I realised while I was in Lesotho that Basotho love football very much. “I used to compare Lioli’s matches against Bantu and Matlama with the Chiefs and Pirates games because local supporters fill the stadium when those three teams play each other, and this shows that Basotho love football.”

Ramoreboli said, therefore, coaches and football administrators in Lesotho should focus on improving football in the country so that football would finally turn into professional in Lesotho. “That means we should focus on improving the standard of football in Lesotho so that it will finally turn professional and, as a result, I wouldn’t reject an offer to return to Lesotho. “I also believe the international experience I have now I got it from coaching in Lesotho and I will never look down on Basotho under any circumstances.”

Ramoreboli further reiterated that he was willing to contribute towards the improvement of football in Lesotho, and said he still cherished his time in Lesotho while he was with Lioli. “I have coached a number of teams before but at Lioli I was made to feel at home. I will never ever forget Lioli. I love the Lioli team and its supporters very much.

“Their supporters loved and supported me very much. It’s just that I couldn’t stay long at the team because I had to leave the country.” Ramoreboli also won the COSAFA Cup with the South African Under-17 national team last year.