Why Matlama are in trouble

MASERU – There is something wrong with Matlama and I am afraid it is the players and their executive committee.

The players are selfish, they play only when they want to and have absolutely no respect for the fans, let alone the badge they are wearing.

The performance they displayed on Sunday against Bantu was no different to the shabby excuses they put on in previous defeats to Lijabatho and Lesotho Correctional Service and the only players that came out of the shambolic game with their heads held high were Jane Thabantšo, Mohai Motete and goalkeeper Monaheng Ramalefane.

The rest should hang their heads in shame and if it wasn’t for the latter, the score-line could have been humiliating in the second half and not the 2-1 final score to Bantu.

Ramalefane was called on to save Matlama on several occasions because his backline was sleeping all game. Rethabile Mokokoane was running around like a headless chicken doing absolutely nothing the entire game.

What happened to Phafa Tšosane?

These days his freekicks do not even beat the first man anymore and he cut a frustrated figure throughout the game.

He was there, I just couldn’t tell what he was doing. Tšosane needs to rediscover his mojo quickly.

The less said about Matlama’s two new strikers Lazola Jokojokwane and Thabiso Mari, who have one goal between them in eight games, the better.

Almost all of the dangerous attacks that Matlama launched were instigated by Thabantšo and he worked his socks off and never stopped running trying to make things happen. If those around him matched his desire maybe the result would have been different.

Thabantšo is by far the best player in this team and was key to their league triumph last season. He should not be surrounded by charlatans who drop their heads when things don’t go their way.

Another player Matlama can thank for saving their skin is Bantu striker Tšeliso Botsane who missed five clear cut chances in the first half. Even if the game had been played the whole night and he still wouldn’t have scored.

His coach Moeketsi Mongoya reckoned it is a matter of confidence for Botsane after being out for weeks.

Botsane got behind Matlama’s non-existent defence so many times and when he did, it was either he rushed to take a shot or did not look up to place the ball.

After the game, Mongoya said Bantu could have scored seven or eight goals and he is right. Even now it still doesn’t make sense how it ended 2-1. Lehlohonolo Fothoane was the man of the match, his two goals gave Bantu a victory, but he too could have scored two more.

I have not seen a team be that open at the back and give away so many chances to their biggest rivals and the way they position themselves for set-pieces and attacks is exactly why they are on a four-game winless run.

Former Matlama coach Mothobi Molebatsi, who left the club last week, previously lamented his defenders positioning saying the two last minute goals they conceded against Lijabatho and Lesotho Correctional Services (LCS) were because of poor positioning.

After seeing Matlama on Sunday it is safe to conclude Molebatsi was never the problem.

What irks me even more is that they also lack discipline. I can only hope Lisema Lebokollane at least had the decency to apologise to his teammates for cowardly leaving them on the pitch to fight on their own. His big mouth got him in trouble not once but twice with experienced referee Lebalang Mokete showing him two yellow cards and sending him to the dressing rooms.

Lebokollane is an experienced national team player and he should know better than mouthing off at officials after they make decisions. Of course, his coach Halemakale Mahlaha tried to defend him saying the players are frustrated and angry because they didn’t play well in the last three games. Please, the only time I saw him showing any fight was when his lips were moving.

Mahlaha later admitted that Lebokollane’s sending off affected the team and gave Bantu an upper hand in ball possession.

“It hurt us a lot because Bantu is a possession team and they have played together a long-time, I just got here trying to fix whatever I think is wrong,” Mahlaha said.

“Bantu have gained momentum, us being one player less helped them to have more possession than us. We got chances even after Lisema went out we just didn’t combine well upfront,” he added.

Mahlaha said the technical team need to work with the players mentally because they found them dispirited but said they have changed a lot from the way he saw them last week.

“We just need to take it from here and increase fitness levels a little bit so that we can match these teams, otherwise heads are up,” Mahlaha said.

Rightfully, Matlama players will make a case about their alleged unpaid wages and bonuses and the fact that the club has failed to honour them after winning the league. As it is always the case, whispers started to go around that they haven’t been paid. It is a shame really but not surprising.

There were execs that were scheming behind Molebatsi’s back demanding answers why ‘so and so’ was not playing. Some were entertaining the players’ complaints about their limited game-time instead of backing their coach, and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Their slithering behaviour emboldened their vile fan base and some Matlama fans were planning to attack Molebatsi against Bantu if he was in charge.

But unbeknownst to them, a drunkard would not have patience to wait one more week and attacked the coach in Morija two Saturdays ago. Molebatsi is gone and Matlama’s season is going up in flames.

Matlama must paint themselves and wear outfits because they are a circus. Good thing we have front row tickets.

Tlalane Phahla