Mikia Kalati
REINSTATED Lioli president Lebohang Thotanyana says he had stepped down as the Tse Nala boss because of the divisions that were tearing the team apart.
Thotanyana, who has been the club’s president for the last 10 years, was reinstated to his position during a special conference held on Sunday in Teyateyaneng.
The special conference also booted-out some of the committee members including communications and marketing manager Tšeliso Lerata.
Though the club could not reveal other details of their special conference, it is understood that Lerata was among three committee members who had rebelled against Thotanyana and other senior officials of the executive committee.
The Lehlohonolo Thotanyana coached side, which is also going through a difficult season in the Econet Premier League despite winning the Independence Cup in October last year, was recently thrown into turmoil after the president, his first deputy-Hopolang Nathane and secretary-Sello Monamoli resigned from their positions.
Thotanyana admitted during the briefing yesterday that the club is facing some financial problems brought by the recent divisions within the club.
Addressing the press in Maseru yesterday, former Lioli committee member and supporter, Malefetsane Mahlaha said that their special conference turned down the request by Thotanyana to step down as the club president.
“On Sunday we held a special conference in Teyateyaneng and having heard reasons advanced by the president, first vice president and the secretary general, who had tendered their resignations letters and the conference resolved as follows:
“The resignations are not accepted and the officials are requested to remain in office for the sake of Lioli FC and the Lioli family at large.
“Secondly, that the executive committee is advised to consult the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) constitution, the CAF and FIFA constitutions, where the Lioli FC constitution is silent on matters of discipline especially for the committee members of the executive.
“And that the executive members who had not been attending committee meetings are relieved of their membership of the executive committee forthwith,” Mahlaha said.
For his part, Thotanyana said it had become increasingly difficult to continue leading the team because of the divisions in the committee leading to the special conference on Sunday.
“We had three but one that led to our resignation from the committee was lack of unity and confidence. I was no longer able to lead the committee of the club because it was divided.
“We could no longer work together and that had been going on for some time because even before the start of this season we called for a special conference due to the challenges that we had.
“This infighting had now gone through to the technical team and the players, which proved that we had lost control of the club.
“Thirdly, the team’s supporters were also divided based on the divisions within the leadership of the club. It was obvious that the problem was within the committee hence we felt the only way which could bring change was calling for a special conference and that is why we are at this stage today,” Thotanyana said.
Thotanyana said he was confident that all the club’s problems were solved during the special conference on Sunday and he now expects Tse Nala to become a force to be reckoned with again.
He told the briefing that his experience in the game with Lioli, the Premier League Management Committee and LeFA will help him take Lioli to the top again as the most successful team in the country of the last 10 years under his tenure.
