Mikia Kalati
MAJANTJA coach, Motlatsi Shale, says the team’s great start to the Econet Premier League (EPL) can be attributed to the belief he has infused in the team to be giant killers.
The Mohale’s Hoek side has hit the ground running in their return to top flight football after a long spell in the doldrums. Majantja has confounded foes and supporters alike by being among the four teams on the 14-team EPL log yet to lose a match four games into the season.
Majantja kicked off the campaign with a 1-0 win over Linare, a similar result against Sky Battalion and a goalless draw against Likhopo.
Last Saturday, Majantja won the hearts of football aficionados after holding Lioli to a goalless draw at LCS Ground.
Shale, who led Bantu to their first league title during the 2013/14 season, told the Lesotho Times in an interview this week that starting the season well was his priority bearing in mind the rigours of top flight football.
“To start the season well as a new team in the premier league is very important for stability,” he said.
“It is imperative for us to collect points now because it will get tougher as the season progresses.”
The former Likuena striker, who has also coached at Likhopo and Linare, said Majantja’s failure to sign big name players ahead of the current season was a blessing in disguise.
“We wanted to reinforce our squad with experienced players ahead of the start of the season, but did not succeed in doing so,” Shale said.
“Our failure to buy experienced players doesn’t seem like the disaster we initially imagined because the players are coping very well.”
He said the inexperienced players in the squad did not have egos and were thus easier to mentor, unlike their more established counterparts.
“Working with young players can be good in that their feet are still firmly on the ground and they are willing to learn all the time.
“They listen and take whatever instructions they get from their coaches and it is good for the team.”
The veteran mentor said he was not getting carried away with his team’s initial success, saying his ultimate goal was to avoid relegation.
“All we have to do is to maintain the same standards all season and secure our top flight status which is our goal as a new team in the league,” he said, adding that he had infused belief in the team that they were giant killers.
“There is nothing special that we have done to the players to be performing the way we have done so far, except to instil confidence in them.
“We make the players believe in their abilities so they can hold their own against big teams in this league.”
Meanwhile, the Premier League Management Committee has postponed all the matches scheduled for this weekend to enable the football fraternity to vote in Saturday’s local government elections and by-elections in three constituencies.
Pursuant to the upcoming Local Government elections PLMC has postponed all Econet Premier League matches to enable all stakeholders to their constitutional right to vote Pursuant to the upcoming Local Government elections PLMC has postponed all Econet Premier League matches to enable all stakeholders to their constitutional right to vote.
