Moorosi Tsiane
LIOLI and Makoanyane XI attacking midfielder Tumelo Makha, faces disciplinary action for walking out of a training session after being reprimanded for ill-discipline by new coach Thabile Secker at a recent training session in Teyateyaneng.
According to a source close to the matter, Secker has consistently engaged the player over ill-discipline but has allegedly been rebuffed.
The source told the Lesotho Times that the player retaliated to Secker’s efforts by absconding training last Friday.
“I don’t know what is happening with that boy but he has been having some disciplinary issues and a bad attitude towards the coach,” a source said.
“The coach has been trying to approach him in a gentle manner and I think he has been lenient with him. The latest episode was last Friday when the team was preparing for a friendly. Makha refused to take the coach’s orders and walked out of the session. He did not even show up for the match on Saturday in Maputsoe.”
The source said Makha, who recently extended his contract by two years, went as far as threatening the management with the termination of his contract.
“He told the management that he wants to terminate his contract with the team, so I don’t know how the management will deal with it.”
Lioli communications and marketing manager Mokhoele Lekhesa confirmed the clash between the player and the coach and said Makha would go for a disciplinary hearing.
“There has been a fallout between the player and the coach which ended in the player deserting training and this is unacceptable.
“Disciplinary measures will be taken against the player. We were actually supposed to meet on Monday but due to different commitments, some of the executive committee members failed to make it and the meeting could not proceed,” Lekhesa said.
He emphasised that no player was bigger than the team adding that they would quell the situation before it gets out of hand.
“We are in the process of re-building the team and players should know that they are not bigger than Lioli. We need to address this matter as soon as we can so that it doesn’t set any bad precedent.”
Lekhesa said they would ensure that whatever decision is reached at the disciplinary proceedings would not negatively affect the team.
“I have heard that he said he wants to terminate his contract but we will not be controlled by the player. He has a contract which he must respect along with the team’s code of conduct. We will tread carefully in taking disciplinary action and avoid negatively affecting the team,” Lekhesa said.
