Ex-players unite to lift Majantja

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NTHAKO MAJORO

MOHALE’S HOEK – Former Majantja players have started a monthly contribution scheme for the team’s upkeep. According to one of the team’s erstwhile players, Thabo Mafoso, the scheme is intended to financially support Majantja’s current players.

He said they will be working directly with Majantja coach Bafokeng Mohapi to ensure that the scheme indeed benefits the players while the team’s administration will continue with its usual role. Mafoso revealed this during an unprecedented function dubbed Majantja Family Day, which was held at the Mohale’s Hoek DiFA Stadium last Sunday,

“As Majantja ex-players, we found it necessary to do something for the team, knowing the challenges they have, especially the players,” he said.  “So we want to support because we can see that they are doing well and they stand a chance to get promoted back to the Premier League.”

Majantja are currently at the top of the 10-team A Division South Stream log table after seven victories from nine matches, which saw them collect 21 points with only two losses.

They opened a four-point gap between them and the second-placed FC Summit, with 17 points from the same number of matches. A total of 60 ex-players started the contribution scheme, according to Mafoso.

Each former player is expected to contribute at least M50 every month. “So we are going to have this scheme whereby every player who played for Majantja and not only the Mohale’s Hoek-based ex-players, but all Majantja ex-players, are to pledge an amount of M50 every month.

 “We have already made that commitment there are 60 of us.” Mafoso added: “We are not going to interfere with the committee’s responsibilities. The committee will continue with its usual operations and budgets, and we will come on board only when there are challenges.”

The former Majantja player said one of the main challenges was the transportation of the players. Another challenge, he showed emerges when the players become ill or sustain serious injuries.

“Sometimes when a player gets ill, you find that the club cannot afford to help him.”  Speaking at the same function, Bantu coach Atang ‘Bob’ Mafoso, who is also from Mohale’s Hoek and the younger brother of Thabo Mafoso, commended Majantja ex-players for the initiative.

He said contributions by the club’s legends will always be very important. But Mafoso, who is also the senior national team (Likuena) assistant coach, said the legends should not interfere with the coach’s responsibilities.

 “Your contribution as the legends to the players should be to help the players become better and not to coach Majantja,” said Mafoso.

“But let us support the current coaches in helping these players as individuals.” Talking to the players, Mafoso said they will always be under pressure. “You have more pressure than anybody else. We are not expected to have an A Division team with a facility like this (DiFA Mohale’s Hoek Stadium) in our district.”

Mafoso said the current Majantja players must consider themselves lucky to play for a big club like Majantja. “You have the opportunity to play for this big team, amongst other players, and (as a result) you have pressure to win promotion back to the Premier League,” he said.

Mafoso said after winning promotion back to the Premier League, the players would also have pressure to remain there and the pressure to win trophies after that.

“After that, you will also have pressure to play for the national team (Likuena), and after that, we will be expecting you to play outside the country, meaning a football player is never done until they retire.”

He further said: “That’s pressure in football. You also have to behave like athletes.” Mafoso also appealed to Majantja players to be coachable.

“Let us be coachable. You become a better player by listening. “Respect your coaches and supporters. Remember that you have Majantja’s badge, and everything you do, do it responsibly.”

One of Majantja legends, Benny Molapo, said Majantja players should work hard to win promotion back to the Premier League. “Guys, you have done nothing up to now. Don’t be too proud of yourselves now because Majantja are currently leading the A Division log table,” he said.

“We are expecting you to be the champions who take Majantja to the Premier League and not be relegated in the next season. Majantja Vice President Phomolo Mantutle said last Sunday’s function gave them hope as the club that their problems will soon be a thing of the past.

“We are proud of the Majantja administration’s function today because it gives us hope that Majantja’s problems will come to an end today,” he said. Mantutle said they were worried before realising that the residents of Mohale’s Hoek were doing enough to support their club.

 “As Majantja’s administration, we were very worried for a very long time to realise that we had not been there for the team,” he said. Majantja, who last won the Lesotho top-tier league title in 1995, were relegated to the A Division in the 2018–2019 season.

They came close to returning to the Premier League last season after buying Kick4Life FC status to the tune of M180 000, but the deal was stalled when the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) said the Mohale’s Hoek-based side must register for the 2022–23 season using Kick4Life FC’s name.

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