Ditlhokwe shares his overseas dream
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Monday March 1, 2021 14:10
The Monitor: Good Day TT, please take us through your football career, how did it start and where?
Ditlhokwe: I started my football career in Selebi Phikwe. At first, I was just playing street football before I joined a Second Division side called Guston United. I was also playing for the school team and went for the national Under-17 selection. I managed to make it into the Botswana national Under-17 side and I was selected captain. That is when I realised that I should take this football career seriously. I realised that I had the potential and have to work hard. From there I went to Nico United, then Gaborone United, Township Rollers and lastly Supersport United. I also played for Gulubane United which is based at my home village. It has also played a huge role in my development as a player.
The Monitor: Did you ever see yourself reaching this level when you played for Nico United?
Ditlhokwe: When I was at Nico United I never aimed this high. I just dreamt of playing for the likes of Gaborone United and Rollers. When I was at GU and Rollers that is when I started to look for a step further and that step was playing in the PSL. With God’s help I managed to come here. From the PSL, I am looking to step further up again. I am taking one step at a time.
The Monitor: Who played a major role in your football career?
Ditlhokwe: Coach Khalid (Niyonzima), coach Shine, Prophet James, my siblings, my father, aunt, uncles and my entire family. They gave me the much-needed support and made sure they always went to watch me play even when I was still playing street football. That thing on its own made me take football seriously. The moral support that I got from coaches like Zapata (Rudolfo), Nikola (Kavazovic), Matlhakau (China), managers like Motshegetsi Mafa, Sidney Magagane and my coach at my home village, we call him Fabish. They motivated me to push hard.
The Monitor: You have been doing well since you joined Supersport United last season, what made it easy for you to settle in quickly?
Ditlhokwe: The team on its own, the personalities, the character, the love and the support they give to the players was key in helping me settle quickly. Another important thing apart from being blessed by God is that I have a man who is like a father to me. Each and every second of my life I call him if I have a problem, whether it is a personal problem or football related. He is always there and makes sure that whatever I need he provides. Coach Khalid (Niyonzima) plays a huge role starting from me being young up to now. Even when I arrived at Supersport, each and everyday we were talking, watching my games, asking me what was happening at training and giving me advice. That alone played a huge role in making me settle quickly at Supersport United. Coach, Adel (Amrouche) has also played a huge role. Mogogi’s (Gabonamong) wife has also helped me a lot so that I could settle well here.
The Monitor: What did coach, Kaitano Tembo tell you when you arrived at Supersport United?
Ditlhokwe: He is a very good coach. He is a father to us. He is a hard man as well and does not baby sit anyone. You must be a soldier to play under him. He is hard and that drives you to push. His leadership helps us a lot.
The Monitor: You played very well against Kaizer Chiefs recently and were selected the Man of the match. How did you feel and what did the coach tell you before that match?
Ditlhokwe: What the coach told me before the game was the same thing that he says all the time before the match, that is, to play well, stay focused and avoid making silly mistakes. I think I have passed a stage of getting excited about the man of the match award. I have bigger dreams now, which I am targeting. Each and every player wants to play out of Africa. That is my aim.
The Monitor: Many Botswana players have come back home quickly after failing to settle at their previous clubs in SA but you have managed to stay focused, what has been your secret to that success?
Ditlhokwe: I cannot say much on that because I do not know the problems they faced. But what I can tell you is that I did what I can do and the support I got helped me a lot. Like I said, it did not start at Supersport United. The preparations were long done when I was about 16 years old. I was staying with Khalid in the same yard which means everyday he was moulding me. The support that he has given me is the one that is keeping me here in South Africa.
The Monitor: Before you moved to Supersport United, you played for two big sides in Botswana, Gaborone United and Township Rollers, is there any much of a difference between them and your current club?
Ditlhokwe: There is not really much of difference, almost everything is the same. They are big teams and treat their players well. Preparations are key and they take the game very serious. It is only that we lack resources while here they have.
The Monitor: Every player dreams of going higher and higher in their football career. What are your current dreams now?
Ditlhokwe: Like I said earlier my dream is to play outside Africa in future. I cannot say where exactly but as long as I can play in a competitive league out of Africa, I would have reached my dream.
The Monitor: What advice would you give to Botswana players who still dream of playing abroad especially in South Africa?
Ditlhokwe: Stay focused, work hard and everything will sort itself out.
The Monitor: How do you see the prospects of Zebras in the AFCON qualifiers?
Ditlhokwe: That one is tricky. We have a good coach, we have the BFA behind us, as players we are there for each other. Remember this is a national mission and if there is no enough support and unity as a whole nation it can be difficult. If it is only the BFA, the coach and us it is not going to be easy, we cannot fight a war in such as a manner. The nation has to be fully behind us and there is a possibility that we would qualify looking at the log standings.
The Monitor: What qualities has coach Adel Amrouche brought to the Zebras and how are players responding to his coaching methods?
Ditlhokwe: Coach Adel is a very good coach honestly speaking. He trains us with the European style of playing football. You can see that there is a huge difference in the way we play. We can go pound for pound with big guns.
He makes sure that we are mentally fit. He does not like egos, no matter how talented you are. He is a quality coach and we need to keep him, we will go far. And he watches all the matches for players who are abroad. He always tells analyses my matches and tells me where I can improve.