MASERU — Former senior national team coach Mahao “Bomba” Matete has been appointed technical adviser for Lesotho’s Under-17 team.
Matete received his appointment letter from the Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) on Monday.
This was after the football body reportedly failed to find a “suitable person” to replace former assistant coach, Motlalepula “Maradona” Majoro, who was fired for alleged indiscipline three weeks ago.
Matete, 45, had several stints as national team coach between 1990 and 2005.
His best result as Likuena coach was in 2000 when Lesotho reached the finals of Cosafa Castle Cup.
He retired from football in 2005.
His first football job was in 1990 when he coached Majantja FC.
He later coached his former team, Matlama, before joining Lesotho Mounted Police Service and later Lesotho Correctional Service as head coach.
The former Matlama striker told the Lesotho Times his youngest child inspired him to return to football.
“My last-born child is always nagging me about returning to football especially when things are not going well in the national teams,” Matete said.
“So, when I met Seephephe (Matete), Bishop (Molatoli) and ntate (Thabo) at Lefa, I agreed to help them because of my long history with Molatoli and the crisis facing us as a country,” he said.
Matete is Lefa’s technical director, Molatoli works as Under-17 head coach while Pule is the team manager.
Matete said he wanted the team to start intensive training tomorrow with a three-day camp.
The Under-17 team will meet Cameroon on September 29 in a Caf Under-17 championship qualifier at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru.
“Many of our first choice boys live outside Maseru and they must be brought here for camp. We will find schools for them to attend while they are in the city over the next three weeks.
“We will train under floodlights when it gets late because it will not be useful for the boys to arrive at 5pm only for us to dismiss them at 5.30pm,” Matete said.
He said he had already discussed these issues with the Under-17 management to make sure the team is fully prepared.
“One of the things we’ve already done as part of our preparations is to schedule a friendly match against South Africa’s Under-17 team on Sunday at Setsoto Stadium.
We are also going to play three more international friendly matches before our encounter with Cameroon in three weeks’ time.
“I want our last friendly match to be played here at home in front of the fans so they can appreciate and motivate the players before the official match,” Matete said.
