Mikia Kalati
VETERAN LCS goalkeeper, Sam Ketsekile, is calling time on a decade-long career when the 2017/18 football season ends.
Nicknamed ‘Dida’ after the retired Brazil World Cup winning goalkeeper, the lanky Ketsekile shot to prominence in 2006 after joining the National University side, Rovers, from his home team Qeme United.
It did not take long for the premier league guns to spot the talent of the goal minder and LCS who were the champions at the time, moved quickly to snap up Ketsekile in the 2008/09 season.
Not long after, Ketsekile made his debut for the senior national Likuena side.
“I have done part as a player and the time has arrived for me to hang-up my gloves and give other a chance,” Ketsekile told the Lesotho Times this week, adding it had been a long and successful career during which he won two league titles and several competitions.
He however, said there were moments of heart-break such as the weekend loss on penalties to Bantu in the Independence Cup final.
LCS failed to hang on to their early second half lead courtesy of a super strike by Khethisa Masenyetsa when they conceded in optional time. They subsequently lost 1-3 on penalties.
“That was one of the most heart-breaking moments of my career, conceding a late goal and subsequently losing on penalties.
“I was looking forward to finally lifting the one trophy that has eluded me for so many years but it was never meant to be.
“There is still the league title and the LNIG Top 8 to play for and I am confident that we can win them if we maintain the standards we have shown up to so far.
“But I have enjoyed this journey and I will bow out with my head high having represented my country and won trophies with LCS.”
He said in the beginning it was not easy for him to fit in because LCS had big name players that had achieved so much and were older than him including the current technical team.
“I enjoyed the rivalry (with former teammate Bokang) Phasumane in the battle to be number at the club. I knew that he was ahead of me when I came to LCS but that did not scare me and I worked harder to be better.
“The competition helped me to become a better player and I am grateful for his support.
“Liteboho Mokhesi is another player that helped me improve. Although we played for different teams, he always made time to talk when we were with the national team.”
He said while he had not decided on his next step, there was a possibility that he would become a coach of goalkeepers’ coach.
