Mpote waits as Rollers hunt new coach
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday May 26, 2017 14:59
Popa unexpectedly parted ways with British tactician Mark Harrison who joined South African side Baroka FC in January. Popa then appointed long-term assistant coach, Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote to lead the team for the remainder of the season.
Mpote ‘dropped’ his CV at Rollers on Saturday when he led the team to their 14th league triumph with a game to spare after beating Black Forest 2-0. Mpote became the first local coach to win the league in more than ten years since Isaiah Mogwadi in 2006 with Police XI.
The former national Under-20 coach is unbeaten in the league since taking over in January. He has won 12 games and drew only five, making an impressive 70% win rate. The only stumbling block for the former Miscellaneous coach in his pursuit for the hot seat could be that he failed in the knockout competitions. He was knocked out of the CAF Champions League and Mascom Top 8 in a space of a week.
Speaking to journalists after the Saturday win, Mpote expressed confidence in clinching the job and said he has met his objectives by winning the league. “(Club president, Jagdish) Shah gave the team to me with the objectives that I compete in CAF and the Mascom Top 8.
He said he would be happy if we finish in any league position as long it is in the top four. I am a bad loser. I do not like losing. When I took over I told the boys that the league is still open. I also told them that I do not want anything other than position one.
“I will have to wait to hear from them. I do not have any problem taking the team because I have everything that any coach has. Batswana coaches are capable as long as we are given the chance. We will keep on learning and improving. I thank my boys for the respect they have given me and the hard work they put in throughout the season,” he said.
Meanwhile, the club has since placed an advert in local newspapers looking for the head coach, assistant coach and players. Speaking to Mmegi Sport Rollers’ public relations officer Bafana Pheto said Mpote was hired as an assistant coach and revealed his contract ends on May 30.
“We have placed an advert. We want to have a wide range of coaches to choose from. Remember he has been an assistant and was roped in to lead the team until the season ends. He is at liberty to apply.” Pheto further said the club lauds the coach’s performances, but he is not necessarily in pole position to take the job.
“As of now we can not judge him on his performances. We do not want to be seen as biased when appointing a new coach. So we will wait for his application and will assess him like the rest of the applicants,” he said.
The club has received applications from coaches in Russia, Serbia, Portugal, Zambia and South Africa amongst others as they are on course of appointing their third coach in three years. “Of course the frequent changes in the coaching staff may bring instability in the team especially the players, but it is something not in our control. Remember that Madinda (Ndlovu) left for Orapa (United) while Harrison also quit. This is not our doing.
But we will do anything to counter attack any problem once the coach arrives,” he said. Meanwhile, Rollers’ cross town rivals Gaborone United have parted ways with coach Rodolfo Zapata after months of speculation. The Argentine had earlier announced to leave the former league champions, but the club came and said that the two parties have reached an agreement and the former was set to stay. On Tuesday he bid Moyagoleele goodbye on Facebook.
“Thanks Gaborone United. I’m proud to have had the opportunity to manage GU over the past 17 months. I believe the club is in safe hands, with a burgeoning youth set to supplement their first-team options,” Zapata’s post reads.