Mikia Kalati
Former national team coach, Leslie Notši, is delighted with his new challenge at South African National First Division (NFD) side Mthatha Bucks.
Bucks get their 2015/16 campaign underway with a home match against Cape Town’s Vasco Da Gama on Sunday.
Notši told the Lesotho Times this week that although he has just joined the Eastern Cape side, he is confident his charges would do well judging from their few preseason games.
“We have just come back from a trip to Durban where we played fellow NFD side AmaZulu and premier league outfit Golden Arrows,” Notši said.
“We lost 2-1 to AmaZulu in the first match before winning 3-1 in the second game. We then drew 3-3 against Golden Arrows on Sunday.
“Coming to a new team always has its expectations. The management here is very ambitious and the players have shown the hunger to succeed and if they can maintain this level of determination, then nothing will stop us from being successful.”
The former Lioli and Matlama coach said his target was ensuring Bucks retain their NDF status.
“I’m really looking forward to the challenge and the response I have received so far from the players is very promising because character within the team is very important for a coach to succeed.”
Notši also said he wants to maintain the momentum after Mthatha Bucks’s promotion to the first division this season.
Regarding the duration of his contract, Notši said he was yet to finalise the deal as the main priority was on the players who have got to be registered before the season roars to life at the weekend.
“We have agreed a deal in principle, although I’m yet to put pen to paper. I am the one who compiled the list of players who will be registered for the new season. I can say the machine is already rolling,” he said.
The 51-year-old ex-Matlama keeper further said he was aware of the hard task ahead as he was in the NFD before with Garankuwa United. After failing to produce the required results, Notši had to leave United midseason last year and later joined Bantu here at home as a technical advisor.
“We have to do well in our home matches starting with the opening tie against Vasco on Sunday. I’m quite confident we will do well especially after our promising performance in last weekend’s friendly games against Golden Arrows and AmaZulu,” added Notši.
