Mikia Kalati
LIOLI president Lebohang Thotanyana says the league champions will hold crunch talks with the unsettled duo of Nkoto Masoabi and Tšepo Lekhooane following reports they wanted to leave the club.
Thotanyana told the Lesotho Times this week they had allowed Lekhooana to undergo trials in South Africa, adding they would hold a meeting with the striker following his return on his future.
He also said winger Lekhanya Lekhanya had since resolved his issues with the club having also been reportedly keen to leave Tse Nala after helping the Teyateyaneng-based side win back to back league titles over the last two seasons.
“I think there was a lot of confusion and miscommunication between the club and these players. But we have been talking to them to find a way forward,” Thotanyana said.
“I am confident they will remain with us once we sit down and discuss everything. As for Lekhanya, he is back and training with his teammates after we met and talked.”
The Lioli boss also revealed Masoabi had written a transfer request to the club citing the need to get more exposure and regular playing time. The striker was in and out of Tse Nala’s starting line-up during the previous campaign.
“Masoabi wrote to us requesting to go to another club to get more exposure,” said Thotanyana.
“However, we are going to have a meeting with him and everything will be decided once we have talked. The bottom line is these players are still contracted to Lioli.
“It is not unusual for us to hear reports of our players wanting to leave for other teams at this stage. However, I have been in football administration for a long time, and know how to handle these kinds of issues.”
He said the club was renewing players’ contracts nearing expiry.
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“We have a number of players whose contracts are up, especially those in the employ of the team since 2010 such as Montoeli Sonopo, Motlalepula Mofolo and Sheli Ramooseka. We are in the process of renewing them,” Thotanyana said.
“There are also some players who have been with the team since 2013 like Jerry Kamele. We are still in the middle of negotiations with them over the club’s new incentive structure which we will soon reveal.”
