Motlalepula Majoro, 46, had a very successful football career, which saw him play for three of Lesotho’s biggest clubs, namely Matlama, Lioli and Arsenal, respectively.
The man nicknamed Maradona after Argentine great, Diego Maradona, took the Lesotho Times (LT) senior sports reporter, Mikia Kalati, through his incredible football journey that included a five-year coaching spell in America, helping the national team beat Cameroon 2-0 in 1994 in an African Cup of Nations qualifier and recently leading Kick4Life to the Premier League.
LT: You recently guided Kick4Life, who are pretty much a small team formed five years ago, into the Premier League. What was the recipe for this success, which came in your third year with the Maseru-based club?
Majoro: Well, I have to say the management of the organisation has played a very crucial part in the team winning promotion.
This team is being run very well and you will be surprised to know that it is being budgeted for as well.
A lot of our big teams can learn a lot from the management of our club.
LT: We understand this is not the first side that you have led to the Premier League. Could you tell us about your other success story?
Majoro: I led a team called Maradona Juniors to the Premier League in 2001. That was shortly after I had retired from the game.
The plan was to work with the kids and I did not know that we would achieve that much within such a short space of time.
All I wanted was to develop young talent, but they were just too good and subsequently won promotion a few years after I had formed that team.
LT: So what happened to the team?
Majoro: Unfortunately, a year after winning promotion, I had to leave the country for the United States of America in 2002 where I obtained my coaching licence before working with different academies.
So it was during that time when I was away that the team collapsed.
LT: Tell us about your coaching background?
Majoro: My coaching career began with Maradona Juniors and shortly afterwards, I attended a few courses, resulting in my obtaining the English Football Association B Licence in 2001, among others.
Shortly after completing the course, I was appointed coach of the Berea under-17 team that used to compete in the then annual Inter-District competitions.
I also worked as assistant coach to Halemakale Mahlaha at Matlama; this was years after
returning from the United States in 2007.
I also had a spell at the national under-17 as assistant coach to the late Bishop Molatoli.
I must say, I struggled a lot to adapt after coming back home as in the US, they were more professional and I worked mainly with youth teams.
I also worked with youth teams over the years before joining Kick4Life.
LT: Where did your football journey start?
Majoro: I started playing football at around eight years of age, in my home town of Lekoakoaneng in the Berea District.
But my big breakthrough came after I had moved to Maseru in 1982, and staying in Sea Point and studying at Lesotho High School.
I was recruited to Matlama by club legend Ndebele “Mocholene” Taole and I never looked back since that break.
I quickly made an impact and was promoted to the first team.
However, I left Matlama to join Lioli in 1995, but came back again before a spell with Arsenal.
I re-joined Matlama for a third spell in 1998 before retiring due a knee injury.
LT: You were also part of the Likuena side that beat Cameroon 2-0 in that historic win at Setsoto stadium in 1993…
Majoro: Indeed, that was one of the best teams we had. It was full of quality players and a good coach in Ntate Styles Phumo. Our coach was a disciplinarian and at the same time, we had a squad of talented players more than anything. We had the likes of Likhetho Mokhathi who, for me, remains one of the best players I ever played with in the national team.
We started together in the junior teams and played in the first Cosafa under-20 tournament held in Botswana and at that time, there were only five countries being Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia and Malawi taking part.
LT: Take us back to your days coaching in the US. What was it like out there in the States?
Majoro: What I can say is they were always willing to take experts from other countries and that’s why their football has continued to grow.
That is how me and my former Likuena and Arsenal teammate, Thabane Sutu, ended coaching academies there.
I started with a soccer academy in Manassas, Virginia, and four others where I also worked as deputy director of youth development, including in places like Washington DC.
LT: How did the nickname Maradona come about?
Majoro: I got the name during the 1986 Top 4 finals while playing for Matlama. It was after Diego Maradona had led Argentina to the World Cup. I was also enjoying my best performance in the colours of Matlama and there were some lady-supporters in the stands who, every time I had the ball, were calling me Maradona and the name stuck thereafter.
LT: Your own son is also a footballer playing for Lioli and the Lesotho under-20 side. What is your impression regarding his career so far?
Majoro: I’m very proud of him.
He started at a very young age, but his development suffered while I was in the US. Luckily it was not that bad and I was able to work on him when I came back home. He has grown a lot in recent years as a player and I am proud to see him playing for the national youth team.
LT: Who played a big role in shaping your career?
Majoro: I worked with a lot of good coaches who included Ntate Styles Phumo, and Ntate Monaheng “Doc” Monyane, but I think the current Lefa technical director, Seephephe “Mochini” Matete was the one who made me a better player during my first spell with Matlama. I was a right-footed winger, but he taught me how to use my left foot and I became a better player using both feet.
LT: Which players have impressed you in recent years?
Majoro: I have always had a soft spot for attackers, so Likhopo’s Makara Ntaitsane and Lioli’s Tšepo Seturumane are the two players I like.
They are naturally gifted and not afraid to take on defenders like in the old days.
