Minnaert embraces Galaxy challenge
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday August 3, 2026 06:00
He went from winning league titles in Liberia and Uganda to making history in Rwanda; the Belgian has consistently ventured into unfamiliar territory. Now, the Botswana Premier League (BPL) is the latest stop on that journey as he begins a new chapter with former league champions, Jwaneng Galaxy. The UEFA Pro Licence holder was appointed earlier this month as Galaxy's head coach on a one-year contract, with an option to extend. He is replacing Seemo Mpatane, who guided the club on an interim basis before returning to his role as assistant coach.
Minnaert arrives with more than 25 years of coaching experience across Europe and Africa. His achievements include winning the Liberian Premier League with FC Fassell, guiding Rwanda's AS Kigali to a historic first qualification for the group stages of a CAF inter-club competition and leading Uganda's Vipers SC to an unbeaten league title. For Minnaert, however, the move to the local is not about the stature of the league but to embrace a new challenge and continuing to grow as a coach. 'It is not because you are not high in the ranking that you do not have to deal with it. Every journey is different, and every journey you learn something about.
This is a step for me also to learn more and move forward,' he told MmegiSport on Wednesday. Galaxy's hierarchy will be hoping that experience helps the club build on last season's Orange FA Cup triumph, which secured qualification for the 2026-2027 CAF Confederation Cup, whilst also mounting a serious challenge for the Botswana Premier League title after Gaborone United (GU) won the championship in each of the last two seasons. The Belgian says his early focus has been on assessing his squad ahead of the new campaign. 'The boys are working well. We are still waiting for a few players to add quality to the squad. We still have about one month, and we need to be ready because that date is the most important,' he said. Part of that preparation continues this weekend when Galaxy defend the Jwaneng Mine GM Soccer Fiesta title at the Jwaneng Stadium.
The Galaxy Stars face Mochudi Centre Chiefs in the opening semi-final, whilst GU take on visiting African Stars of Namibia in the second semi-final. Minnaert insists the pre-season tournament is about more than results. 'I welcome everybody on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to a big fiesta so that we enjoy the game. For us, it is a learning process. We want to see how far we are before the cup competition next month,' he said during the tournament's media briefing. Whilst Minnaert's arrival has injected fresh optimism, he also inherits a squad that has undergone significant changes. Prolific striker, Thabang Sesinyi, has joined South African side Marumo Gallants after another productive campaign in Galaxy colours. Sesinyi leaves with an impressive scoring record during his second spell at the club. He scored 24 league goals in the 2021-2022 season, followed by 20 in 2022–2023 and 16 in 2023–2024.
Injuries restricted him to five league goals in 2024-2025 before he responded with 16 league goals and three goals in the CAF Champions League last season. Replacing that output will be amongst the immediate tasks facing Minnaert. Galaxy have also lost two senior goalkeepers, with Goitseone Phoko joining South African side Siwelele FC and Victor James moving to Zimbabwean club CAPS United. The club has been linked with Lesotho captain Sekhoane Moerane, who recently left South African side Orbit College, as Galaxy look to reinforce their goalkeeping department ahead of the new season. Minnaert, however, has also expressed confidence in the goalkeepers already at the club.
'We have two good young boys. We need to give them chances and trust them,' he said. Although his contract is for one year, Minnaert said his ambition extends beyond immediate success. 'This is always the aim to build something so that after I leave, people still remember what we achieved,' he stated. For a coach whose career has been defined by embracing unfamiliar assignments, the BPL represents another opportunity to prove himself. Whether Galaxy reclaim the league title, make a strong impression in the CAF Confederation Cup and successfully rebuild after losing key players will shape Minnaert's first season and determine whether his latest journey becomes another memorable chapter in an already well-travelled coaching career.