Lekhanya, Masoabi staying put at Lioli

Luciah Phahla

Maseru

Champions Lioli have rubbished claims two of their star players are poised to join ambitious Vodacom Premier League outfit Kick4Life for the 2016/17 season.

Strikers Lekhanya Lekhanya and Nkoto Masoabi have reportedly missed ‘Tse Nala’ preseason training which started on Monday and are said to be wanted by Kick4Life who snagged Bokang Mothoana from Likhopo last week.

Lioli communications and marketing manager Tšeliso Lerata admitted to thepost yesterday that “there are players that are yet to report for duty” but downplayed suggestions it is because they are leaving the club.

“I have not heard anything regarding any potential move to Kick4Life for any of the players. I have not been informed of such and, if it happens, I will be the first to know and I will announce,” Lerata said.

He added: “The club’s management hasn’t received any letter from Kick4Life regarding the players in question and (management) would have told me if they did. However, it’s usual that players will be linked with other teams during this time and I am sure there are players that are being linked with us. Although at times such rumours turn to be true, I will be the first to know.”

Should the duo leave it will be a blow for the defending champions who are preparing for the preseason Alliance Winter Tournament scheduled for the end of this month.

Masoabi ended last season as Lioli’s top scorer in the league with seven goals while Lekhanya has been a key contributor since joining the Teyateyaneng giants from Bantu in 2013.

Meanwhile, Lioli’s bid to sign Sundawana hit-man Roboama Koloti has hit a snag with the Butha-Buthe club standing firm in their M2 million valuation of the striker.

“Our preseason training started on Monday and, yes, there are players that are yet to report for duty but there is nothing to it. It’s usual, it happens everywhere, even at big clubs,” Lerata insisted.

“Such players eventually do arrive and give their reasons and sometimes apologise. I can’t say who the players that have missed our training are, but we are still expecting them to come,” he said.

Lerata also confirmed Lioli will continue to use Setsoto Stadium as their home ground for the 2016/17 campaign because construction work on the club’s new stadium in Teyateyaneng is yet to get underway.

Lerata said the champions plan to have two pitches at their revamped home venue although it is undecided if they will be artificial or natural turf fields.

“The construction work (on the Lioli stadium) might start soon and it’s going to be two grounds. At the moment I have no idea if it will be an artificial turf or natural turf and as to how it’s going to look in terms of whether it’s going to be something like Maputsoe or the Mafeteng (Seeiso Leshoboro) stadium,” Lerata said.