Monaphathi not in a hurry to get new club

NTHAKO MAJORO

MASERU – Former Bantu assistant coach, Dlomo Monaphathi, says he is not in a hurry to get a new club after leaving Bantu. Monaphathi, 34, was released last month together with his former Bantu co-coaches, Thapelo Mokhehle, Liteboho Mokhesi and Teboho Tšiu.

The coaching staff was shown the door together with goalkeeper Thabo Selisa and long-serving striker Mokone Marabe. This after Bantu failed to put up a good performance at the just-ended 2020/21 football season which saw the former champions finishing the season sitting on fourth position on the 16-team Vodacom Premier League log table. Monaphathi and Mokhehle were both assistant coaches, while Tšiu and Mokhesi were head coach and goalkeepers’ coach respectively.

“I am still looking for a new club but I am not in a hurry,” said Monaphathi in an interview with Public Eye. He further said: “I will still be involved in the game because football is my life.” Monaphathi, who last joined Bantu while he was still a player a decade ago, said parting ways with the Mafeteng-based side was not easy for him. “To be honest, it was difficult having to leave a team who I had close or more than 10 years with, but the fact is that have parted ways. However, I had good times with them and I learnt a lot during my long stay at Bantu.”

Monaphathi further said: “I have achieved both as a player and as a coach, and so I am going to miss everything about being there; the supporters, management and players alike.” Monaphathi, Mokhehle and Mokhesi all joined Bantu from Matlama. Monaphathi now holds D License coaching certificate. He said he has not considered a return to his former team Matlama, not now. “Not anytime soon. I will go there when I am ready and with everything prepared on my side in terms of football coaching.”

D License is the lowest football qualification which has just been introduced by the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) and endorsed by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).   Monaphathi shone as a player in his young age during his time at Matlama, which earned him a place at the national Under-20 team which qualified for the 2005 African Youth Championship held in Benin and the one held in South Africa in 2011.

After the Benin 2005 African Youth Championship, Monaphathi and his other Lesotho teammates such as Motlalepula Mofolo from Lioli, Katleho Moleko and Tefo ‘Chicco’ Maipato, both from FC Likhopo at the time all joined South African giants Orlando Pirates’ development side. But all of them failed to gain promotion to the Pirates senior team except graduating from the development side to the reserve side, dubbed Yebo Yes at the time. Monaphathi also nearly joined Tunisian giants, Esperance, had it not been because of a clash between Pirates and some local football administrators.