Brown rules out move

Luciah Phahla

Maseru

Kick4Life striker Thabiso Brown has ruled out a move away from the club when the season ends.

Brown has reportedly been watched by top Vodacom Premier League sides such as Lioli and Bantu but, speaking at a media briefing at Kick4Life’s headquarters on Monday, the striker said he is staying put at the Old Europa club.

Earlier this month, the 20-year-old was one of 24 players called up to the national team by Likuena interim coach Moses Maliehe to prepare for a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia on June 5 and the COSAFA Castle Cup scheduled for June 10 to 25 in Namibia.

Brown said Kick4Life is the best place for him to continue his development.

“I am planning to stay. My priority now is Kick4Life. I know if I perform well at club level the (national) coach will recognise me and I will improve. I want to prove myself to the national team coach,” he said adding that he trains three times with Likuena and twice with his club per week.

Brown said hard-work and dedication at club level will open more doors for him and he saluted the atmosphere at Kick4Life calling it a brotherhood.

In particular, the starlet said he enjoys his strike partnership with fellow Likuena call-up Motlalepula Chabeli.

“We are brothers here at Kick4Life,” Brown said. “We always talk (with Chabeli) about creating and scoring goals and whoever scores it’s a bonus to the team.”

Brown, however, expressed dissatisfaction at his goal tally this season with his total standing at four strikes. He identified this as an area for improvement.

“I wanted to beat last season’s (league) goal-scoring record (of 22 goals by Litšepe Marabe) and I’m not happy with my performance. I’m always trying to be the best. Even if the coach says I’m good, I still want to do more,” Brown said.

He also praised Kick4Life coach Leslie Notši who has overseen the club’s rise to sixth in the league since his arrival last November.

“It’s easier working with coach (Notši). We learn every day from him, not only about football, but even about things that will build us in our private lives,” Brown said.

Also speaking at the conference, Notši reflected on Kick4Life’s 2-0 win over Likila United last Saturday in Butha-Buthe.

The match was marred by Likila supporters chasing Kick4Life players after the game and the situation had to be contained by police.

Likila lost two goalkeepers to injuries during the game and Notši said the home side felt Kick4Life were to blame. He said he was pleased with his team’s character in a hostile environment and happy to have collected maximum points in their quest to finish in the top eight.

“There were lot of things involved in this game and there was the condition of the ground and the position of the opponents. We were also looking to secure a top eight finish. I told the players to focus and score an early goal, and to put Likila under pressure to commit fouls,” Notši said.

Kick4Life football director Chris Bullock confirmed the club will include the behaviour of Likila’s fans in their report to the premier league. He said the league will decide whether or not to take action against the Butha-Buthe side.

Brown was involved in one of the incidents in which a Likila goalkeeper was injured. He insisted he didn’t intend to hurt his opponent.

“I was fighting for the ball. I wanted to score, it was not intentional. It’s just unfortunate their goalkeeper got injured,” Brown said.