Former Likuena coach leaves Mthatha Bucks after attack by disgruntled supporters.
Mikia Kalati
Former national team coach, Leslie Notši, was forced to leave Mthatha Bucks Football Club this week after his house was attacked and new goalkeepers’ coach from Romania shot on Saturday night by disgruntled supporters.
Notši told the Lesotho Times that some sections of management and fans did not welcome his appointment last month as head-coach of the East London-based National First Division (NFD) rookies, and preferred his predecessor, Julius Dube, who had led the team to the country’s second-tier league.
The 50-year-old yesterday told the Lesotho Times he had to be flown from East London to Johannesburg on Monday to ensure his safety. Notši, whose contract with another South African NFD club, Garankuwa United, ended prematurely last season due to lack of results, was expected back in Lesotho last night—a sad ending to what was promising to be a challenging, if not exciting, venture for the amiable mentor.
“My leaving the team had nothing to do with results, but infighting within the club. I had to leave because of protests from some supporters and shareholders who were against the chairman’s preference of me over their previous coach, Julius Dube. Dube helped the team win promotion to the first division so this group’s argument was that he should be allowed to continue with the team in the NFD,” Notši told the Lesotho Times from Johannesburg where he had been keeping his vehicle.
“I left the team because of internal problems, nothing else. We had played two games, losing the first and drawing the other.”
The former Matlama and Lioli coach said when his house was attacked, his cellphone was stolen and the newly appointed Romanian goalkeepers’ coach shot and hospitalised.
“I was brought to the team by the chairman, who is a majority shareholder of the club, but things were getting out of hand and in the end, he succumbed to pressure from supporters as well as other members of the management who preferred the previous coach,” Notši said.
“The chairman wanted me because of my experience after the team was promoted to the NFD this season. Unfortunately, that decision proved unpopular with certain members hence all the trouble.
“Because the chairman has so much belief in me, he has already offered me another job with his team that plays in the ABC Motsepe League and is also based in East London. But I have not taken the job as yet and will have to think about it,” said the ex-Matlama keeper.
Meanwhile, the club has since issued a statement regarding Notši’s departure.
The statement reads: “Mthatha Bucks FC would like to confirm that Mr Leslie Notši, head-coach, has been relieved of his duties with immediate effect. It is so unfortunate that we cannot reveal all the internal matters due to the confidentiality agreement we had with him. We wish him well in his future endeavours.
“We have since reinstated Julius Dube as head-coach. Other developments at the club will be communicated in due course.”