Mokhosi Mohapi’s name has become synonymous with Lesotho football, with the no-nonsense administrator revered and reviled in almost equal measure by the soccer fraternity.
In this wide-ranging interview with the Lesotho Times senior sports reporter, Mikia Kalati (MK), Mohapi gives rare insight into his personal life and also what has so far proved to be a fruitful but challenging foray into the beautiful game.
MK: Where did it all start for you and football?
Mohapi: Like any other Mosotho boy, I started playing football at a very early age. I attended primary school at NULIS, and that is where it all started.
At around the age of 10 years, I started cameo-training with legends such as Ntate Tšeliso “Frisco” Khomari who was at Rovers FC at the time. Rovers, the university team, were a football powerhouse in those days.
Coming to how I ended in football administration, let me say I studied electrical engineering at the Lerotholi Polytechnic, worked for some companies in Lesotho and then left to join a mining company in South Africa.
At the South African company, I played football and came to like it more than anything else. I guess it is still the same today, football is my passion.
I enrolled with a college in Johannesburg and did a Sports Management Diploma.
Thereafter, I enrolled with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, it was known as the University of Port Elizabeth and that’s where I completed a BCom Degree in Sports Management where I majored in Football and Business Management.
I must state that I owe a lot to my parents because they also pressurised me into studying what was and still is my passion today.
They encouraged me to drop the engineering career and focus on sport.
After completing my studies, I worked for the Department of Sport and Recreation in the Ministry of Gender and Youth, Sport and Recreation.
MK: The country continues to fail dismally in continental competitions, both at club and national team level. What needs to be done to change this situation?
Mohapi: It is not really fair to say our country continues to fail dismally in continental competitions.
The fact is our continental and global performances are a direct reflection of our local football scenario.
By this I mean we have a very weak football league. While it is exciting, it is not strong enough.
Also, the state of our facilities is what should be minimum standards elsewhere.
Again, there is no political will in Lesotho to create an enabling environment for sport and not only football activity.
Look across the border, a small town like Ladybrand has municipal sport facilities which are well-kept. Does Maseru, as a city, have such sports facilities?
How much does our government invest in sport?
For instance, the Lesotho Football Association has been getting a mere M1 million in subvention from the government, and this has been the same amount since 1994.
I mean 20 years later, Lefa is still expected to run football with ONE MILLION MALOTI! This is scary considering the economic factors such as inflation, etc. If government was to invest in sporting activities, then the corporate community would also do the same upon realising that government cares for this sector.
I am stating this to highlight the challenge.
Now why do we fail in the African Champions League?
It is because of many factors, some, as I have stated, being the facilities we are exposed to during the season but come international competitions, the players have to use proper facilities.
If you have observed, our teams have not lost a Champions League match at home in the past six years or so.
MK: The former Likuena coaching pair of Leslie Notši and Lehlohonolo Thotanyana recently left to pursue a career in South Africa. How big was that loss and do you think they can succeed in the professional world of South African football?
Mohapi: No organisation wants to lose its personnel; the same applies to Lefa. The timing was not good at all. They left at a time when the team they were handling was coming of age.
However, we are very grateful for what they did during their tenure. We also wish them the best of luck. But I always say, if you can succeed at Lefa, you will succeed anywhere. This is because here, the resources are next to nothing; your skill and diligence are all you have to do the job at hand.
The two men are now in a better-resourced environment and I see no reason for them to fail; their biggest opponents are themselves.
They should not relax and enjoy their new environment; they should work hard.
MK: Lefa has been marred by a lot of infighting over the last few years and allegations of financial struggles. How stable is Lefa at the moment?
Mohapi: If one looks at the problems that you are referring to, it is normal that within politically driven entities, now here I am not referring to party politics but rather football or sport politics, there will be different views on how to do things.
The differences are not new to the Lesotho Football Association; they will become a problem if they affect the delivery of the football mandate. Yes, finances are a challenge but we still need to deliver in spite of the challenges.
MK: A few years ago, you were suspended for going on a work-related trip without getting the permission of your bosses. Do you have full backing from your bosses to implement and bring changes that you feel will improve the game in the country?
Mohapi: Yes, I was suspended for going on a trip. As for the permission issue . . . well let’s not go there since the matter was resolved amicably.
If you look at the number of things that I did or the changes that I brought into football after that incident, I guess that shows the relationship that I have had with my principals.
I have introduced the Lesotho Football Association’s Club Licensing System, drew the Premier League and A Division Compliance Manual, worked at updating the Lesotho Football Association’s Rules and Regulations for the B & C Divisions and those of the Elite Leagues.
I was the one who drew up the Player Status regulations; the current level of IT at the Lesotho Football Association was done by me, I worked on the event management protocol, started the Coaches Licensing system, introduced the entry level introductory courses in the fields of Administration, Coaching and Refereeing.
If I did not have the backing of my principals, I would not have probably achieved these football-related developments.
MK: Lesotho did not register for the recently ended CHAN tournament which seems to be working wonders for other countries as far as development is concerned. Is Lefa considering registering Likuena for the next edition of the tournament?
Mohapi: Yes, we did not enroll for the recently concluded CHAN. The reason was that at that time, the CHAN was not a competition that was given much consideration by Fifa, in terms of using the matches played in the CHAN qualifiers and the competition proper for Fifa rankings.
As of this year’s competition, Fifa will award points for matches played in the CHAN Qualifiers and the Competition Proper.
Because it is for locally-based league players, I think this is one competition that Lesotho can qualify for and there will be no reason for us not to enroll Likuena in the 2016 CHAN Competition. If I am not mistaken, qualification starts next year.
MK: Which of our teams have been registered for upcoming continental competitions?
Mohapi: We have registered the national Under-20 side, as well as the senior team, for qualifiers whose finals will be next year in Senegal and Libya, respectively. For the under 20s, we will play in the preliminary stage against Swaziland in April, while for Likuena, the draw will be conducted in April.
MK: Qualifiers for the 2015 African Cup of Nations will start later this year; do you see Lesotho qualifying for such a tournament any time soon?
Mohapi: Depending on the kind of draw that we will get, I am hopeful that the country will qualify for the 2015 AFCON.
Today, in football people are beginning to say that Lesotho is most dangerous when playing at home.
I think this is because of the trend in the Champions League and the performance of our Under-20s and the fact that we held
Zambia and Sudan to a draw at home recently.
Football technicians are aware of this; those days of naming a team just to travel to Lesotho are gone.
