Bantu speaks on new foreign coach

Chris Theko

Premier league giants Bantu FC of Mafeteng say a foreign duo of newly unveiled head coach Moeketsi Abram Mongoya and his assistant Victor Tlholo, both from South Africa, was roped-into the club in line with the team’s big name and status that needs to be maintained.

The club’s Communications and Marketing Manager, Pule Mosoatsi, told this publication that they had to look for a new coach in the right places mainly because of the status of their team. 

“The new coach was given the freedom to bring along his own assistant coach if that is what will see him bring us the results expected of a team of our status and class, so he will be working with Coach Tlholo” Mosoatsi said.

The two have each been given a two-year deal and will be at the helm of the former premiership champions from the upcoming Vodacom Premier League (VPL) 2022/23 season.

Mongoya is the former assistant coach of South African Dstv premiership sides Sekhukhune United and Chippa United. He has also coached the South African First Divison side, TS Sporting.

The new coach was unveiled on Thursday by the club’s management along with his assistant coach. Both have been hired on a two-year contract with the mandate to challenge for all the top accolades available in the top flight league.

He becomes the fourth South African to lead ‘A MatÅ¡o Matebele’ after James Madidilane who ushered the team to back-back league championship glory in 2017 and 2018 before leaving the side in 2019. 

Madidilane was followed by Thabo Tšutšulupa, who joined the team in January 2022, however he did not last long as he was fired from his post in March for a string of “poor results” and was replaced by fellow South African, Teboho Tšiu.

Tšiu was appointed in February this year on a four-month contract which he was released from at the end of last month. This was after failing to lead the team to a second-placed finish as charged by the team’s management after and only managing a fourth-placed finish.

Mosoatsi stated that they were not specifically looking for a South African coach but a coach with certain qualities that would suit their style of play.

“We chose him based on his experience and the kind of qualities that he has looking at his career. Again we have learned our team’s status and level of quality, not to say we do not have top quality coaches in the country but we wanted to maintain the standard we have set in the team”

When TÅ¡iu was fired he was let go along with the entire technical team staff that included assistant coach, Dlomo Monaphathi, former captain and assistant coach Thapelo Mokhehle and goalkeeper coach Liteboho Mokhesi. 

Mosoatsi said the technical team will be fully replaced in a few days, while the new coach will start identifying players he wants to bring in.

“The management was not signing players as it is the coach’s job to bring in players he wants and asses the ones that are already there so we are yet to make those announcements and announce the other members of the technical team,” Mosoatsi said.   

Mongoya has a CAF A license, and has also worked as the Orlando Pirates Reserves head coach, was an assistant coach to Eric Tinkler at Chippa United