Notwane fire coach
Calistus Kolantsho | Wednesday November 30, 2016 14:48
Confirming the coach’s departure, Notwane public relations officer, Julius Baitumetse told Mmegi Sport that they had given Kaelo a target of finishing the first round with 25 points. He said they felt that he would not achieve the set target.
“It was an achievable target, but the way things are going we feel that if we keep him, we won’t achieve it. We must prepare now and we can only do that if we find the right coach,” Baitumetse said. He said the mandate of the committee is to take the club back to the Premier League. He said negotiations are underway with potential candidates. He said they want to find the right coach now to prepare the team before the end of the first round.
“Even last season, we were not happy about Kaelo’s performance. We once recorded 11 draws and that was not a good thing, but we still supported him,” he said. Notwane suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Mogoditshane Fighters over the weekend. The side had enjoyed being at the top of the log and it seemed they were going to finish the first round without a loss.
Things have now changed for Notwane after the 1-0 defeat. The former Premier League side is now in position four with 12 points. Sharps lead the pack with 15 points, Fighters are in second spot with 14 points with Black Peril third with 13 points.
Baitumetse said Notwane’s weekend loss can cause confusion. He said the important thing is how they would recover. In fact, he feels that if they are to prove that they are a championship winning side, the loss should be a motivation.
“Defeat does not mean we are not good enough but it means we did not prepare well for the game. It is a wake up call. I think the wins that we have been getting all the time caused us to be in the comfort zone.
It is always important to prepare more for the upcoming match than the previous one,” said Baitumetse. He said injuries to players such as Shoes Selefa and Moshe Thaolang are also a challenge. Baitumetse said it is difficult to replace a player like Selefa in defence.
“It is a difficult time for us, but I could say injuries came at the right time when we are approaching the transfer window. That would give the management a chance to know where to beef the squad,” he said.
Baitumetse said the Fighters game is now a closed book and the focus is now on Prisons XI match this weekend. He said they are expecting a tough match because they have never won against the side, even during the Premier League days, adding that the best result has always been a draw.
Meanwhile, Baitumetse said they are impressed by the way Notwane supporters attend matches. He urged them to continue supporting their team all the time. The shock result of the past weekend was when lowly-placed, Skoon Boys held UFS Santos to a 2-2 draw.