New deal for Mokhothu

Luciah Phahla

Maseru

LIOLI coach Mosholi Mokhothu this week signed a two-year extension to his deal that will see him stay with the Teyateyaneng giants until 2018.

The Vodacom Premier League champions on Monday announced that seven key players had also renewed their contracts.

Mokhothu says he is happy to have extended his stay with the champions despite having wanted to take a break.

Speaking to thepost on Tuesday, Mokhothu, who has been in charge of Lioli since 2012, revealed he would have liked to take a sabbatical. However, after negotiations with the club, he agreed to continue with his job.

“I am really happy to have signed a new contract with the club,” Mokhothu said.

“Although I would have liked to rest in the upcoming season after talks with the club they showed me that they need me and believe in me, I decided to continue. I want to help the club because I love this team.”

This season Mokhothu masterminded Lioli to a second successive championship and a whopping M200 000 when they pipped Matlama to the title.

Mokhothu also won the Lesotho National Insurance Group (LNIG) Top 8 to seal a coveted league and cup double and is the favourite to walk away with this year’s coach of the season award.

He said he has already started planning for next season as Lioli look to become only the second side after Lesotho Defence Force in 1997, 1998 and 1999 to win three league titles in a row.

Shoes, as Mokhothu is affectionately known, has led ‘Tse Nala’ to four of the five league crowns in club history with his conquests in 2016, 2015, 2013 and 2009 adding to Lioli’s first championship victory in 1985.

However, he was calm over suggestions he is the best coach in the league and instead credited his players.

“I don’t want to think like that because to be successful one has to win over his players and, also, the relationship and togetherness with the management of the club brings good results,” Mokhothu underlined.

Looking ahead, Mokhothu said consistency will be essential for Lioli next season because their rivals will be gunning for them. He said it is also important the champions don’t become predictable.

“The trick is being consistent with our performances and the players also need to be consistent. We have now won the league two times in a row, this has not sat down well with other clubs and they will want to challenge us next season to make sure we don’t win again, so we need to be prepared and improve our performances,” he said.

“Teams saw how we played this season and they think they have figured out us out. We need to come out surprise them and win the league again,” Mokhothu concluded.