Mikia Kalati
BANTU hotshot, Hlompho Kalake is relishing the prospect of taking his game to another level should an offer to play outside the country come during the off-season.
The accolades have continued to come the way of Kalake after a stellar 2016/17 season in which he helped Bantu clinch the league title.
Last Saturday, the 22 year-old midfielder scooped the M5000 Player of the Season award sponsored by supporters. This was in addition to the Bantu’s Player of the Season, Players’ Player of the Season and Top Goal Scorer Awards which carried a total of M8000 in prize money.
He is also the hot favourite to win the Vodacom Premier League Player of the Season.
“I’m ready to take my game to another level,” Kalake said.
“I feel that I need to go and test myself at a bigger league not just for me but the whole country.
“This country is blessed with talented players and getting an opportunity to play outside the country would be more about opening doors for all players in this country.”
Commenting on his impressive season, the Tšenola-born player said it was down to the extra shift he had put in to improve his game.
“First of all, I want thank God and my teammates for my success.
“I also put extra effort to improve my game. I do a lot of work on the side-lines and have also using herbal life products as well watching my diet.
“Playing for the national team also helped to take my game to another level. It’s a different challenge to club football and it makes one a better player,” he said.
He also expressed his gratitude to football fans, saying it was an honour to win their award on Saturday.
“It is such a lovely gesture from the supporters and I hope their initiative will grow from strength to strength.”
The talented midfielder is also adamant that Likuena has come of age and is good enough to surpass expectations and win the COSAFA trophy for the first time. Likuena have a COSAFA quarterfinal date with Namibia in Rustenburg, South Africa on Saturday
Lesotho twice came close with the senior team and under-20 in 2000 and 2003 losing in the final to Zimbabwe and Madagascar respectively.
“I do not see any team that can stand in our way and beat us.
“The morale is very high in our camp and we have one goal as a team, which is to win this cup.
‘We have a very experienced team and have grown in confidence in our recent games. All we have to do is to maintain the same mentality we have had in our recent games and continue working hard,” he said.
This publication has since established that Kalake is among the players that will be assessed by a number of South African clubs during the regional competition with Bloemfontein Celtic the front-runners for his signature should he impress.
