Rollers coach leaves door half open
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday May 12, 2026 09:15
The Norwegian tactician, who has overseen a sharp turnaround in Rollers’ fortunes since arriving at the club, hinted that the financial instability that has clouded the Blues throughout the campaign will play a major role in determining whether he stays on. “Everybody knows the situation Rollers is in. We need a lot of good things to happen for that to be possible,' Thodesen said after Saturday’s marginal Orange FA Cup quarterfinal defeat to rivals Gaborone United (GU).
“But if those good things happen, I will definitely consider it if the club wants me.'
Rollers have endured a turbulent season financially, with uncertainty off the field contributing heavily to the departure of former Serbian coach, Srdan Zivojnov earlier in the campaign.
Questions over stability, resources and long-term planning have continued to hang over the club despite improvements on the pitch.
And yet, amid that uncertainty, Thodesen has quietly revived Popa. Even before his official unveiling on May 8, the experienced UEFA Pro Licence holder had already begun working closely with the team alongside assistant coach, Seabo Onkarabile.
He was roped in from Dinaledi Football Academy where he was an overseer of an enterprising development project.
Since his arrival, Rollers have gone eight matches unbeaten, rediscovering both defensive organisation and attacking efficiency. Saturday’s derby against GU was perhaps the clearest reflection yet of the Norwegian’s influence.
Rollers started aggressively and dominated large parts of the encounter at the National Stadium. GU took the lead through captain Lebogang Ditsile from the penalty spot before Marcel Papama restored parity with a half-volley before halftime.
One of the season’s breakthrough stars, Thapelo Balatlheng, then curled home a beautiful second-half strike that looked set to send Popa into the semifinals.
A late GU equaliser forced penalties before Rollers eventually fell 5-4 in the shootout. Despite the heartbreak, Thodesen remained proud of the performance and the tactical discipline shown by his side.
“The first 30 minutes were excellent. We attacked them from every angle and that was exactly our plan,' he said in his analysis of the game.
The coach also revealed that one of his biggest changes since arriving was simplifying the team’s approach.
“When I watched Rollers before coming, I saw many good individual players, but I felt maybe everybody wanted too much. “So my vision has been to prioritise and narrow things down a little bit,' Thodesen added.
With their Orange FA Cup hopes now over, the record league champions are staring at a seventh straight season without silverware.
Away from the pitch, however, there appears to be cautious optimism at Popa. Sport Monitor has learnt that Township Rollers are engaged in advanced discussions with a local transport and logistics company over a potential sponsorship agreement.
The company, which previously had ties with the club, is understood to be considering a significant partnership deal, with talks said to be progressing positively.