Matlhaku negotiates return to Gunners

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Former Extension Gunners coach Odirile ‘China’ Matlhaku could reunite with the club to replace out-of-contract Thabo ‘Mahala’ Motang as assistant coach. Matlhaku told Mmegi Sport yesterday that he is negotiating with Gunners and although his interest is to become the development coach, the club seems interested in hiring him as an assistant coach.

“It seems they are interested in that and we are still talking. We have not yet agreed but we are still in talks. But frankly speaking, I am no longer interested in working with league players. The way we run our football is very unprofessional. I want to concentrate on development. I need a team that seriously wants development. I would be happy to set up and head their (Gunners) development structure,” the national Under-17 coach told Mmegi Sport. He ruled out working as a development and an assistant coach at Gunners even if he is given such an offer. “I cannot do both, unless it is only helping where required but not necessarily being committed full-time to the assistant coach job,” he said. Meanwhile, Motang has said the six-month deal he had with Gunners has elapsed and there has been no word from the club about an extension. Reports say Motang and Gunners’ head coach, Dragojlo Stanojlovic who was roped in after Matlhaku resigned last year do not enjoy a cordial working relationship. Motang joined Gunners as an assistant coach in November last year and the agreement was that he would stay until the end of the 2013-2014 Premier League season. So far, he told Mmegi Sport that he had not heard from the club about his future. “My agreement with them was just for six months and those six months have elapsed. (About the relations with Dragojlo) I would not say yes or no. We met at the wrong time and there was a bit of pressure. Whenever there is a lot of pressure, people are bound to differ. But we differed with a common goal,” Motaung said. He added he was happy with the support he had received from the club during his stay. 

Ironically, when Matlhaku quit Gunners, Motang is the one who stepped into his shoes albeit briefly and now the reverse is being considered. Extension Gunners chairman, Kitso Dlamini has said they will meet Motang on Friday to discuss his future.

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