The Bitter-Sweet Story Of Ramatlhakwana

FREDERICK KEBADIRETSE
Staff Writer | Monday September 6, 2010 00:00

 

'It is a very sad situation for me. While I am happy that I am scoring goals for the national team, it is a different case at club level. I always give my best in training but it is up to the coach to decide who starts on match day,' he told Monitor Sports in a tearful interview after he netted the winner for the Zebras against Togo at the UB Stadium on Saturday. He did not want to talk about his future at the club, referring the matter to his agent Mike Makaab of ProSport International.

'I am not at liberty to talk about that, ask Makaab, he is the one who can answer that. I am under contract at Santos, I still have a year left in my contract and I will honour it,' he said.

In the last transfer window, he was linked to a loan move, possibly to a lower division side but this did not happen. He said he is not giving up because he believes he has the potential to make it in the South African League or other top leagues in the world. 

The former Mochudi Centre Chiefs' striker signed a three-year contract with Santos in 2008 after emerging top-goal-scorer in the then Mascom Premier League. Santos was still coached by David Bright who also coached him at the Botswana Under-23 side. Bright was said to be a great admirer of the striker as the only game time he found at Santos was under him.

He is still remembered for the last minute equaliser he scored against Orlando Pirates in the 2008-2009 season. He then had to spent a lot of time watching from the stands as he was nursing an injury and by the time he regained full fitness, Bright had left Santos and Solomons was in charge. Despite being fit, Ramatlhakwana has never been given a chance to play under Solomons.

He remains optimistic that his chance at Santos will come. While it is hard for him at club level in South Africa, things are different for countrymen Mogogi Gabonamong and Boitumelo Mafoko, who are enjoying ample game time at Santos. Gabonamong is the captain while Mafoko recently returned from an injury and looks to have reclaimed his place in the starting line-up.

Ramatlhakwana says his good performance for the Zebras is due to hard work, collective effort and determination. 'These days, all players in camp are determined to qualify for AFCON.

It is good we finished the first round on top of the group. I am hopeful we will continue from here when the second round of the qualifiers starts and we will hopefully make it this time,' he said.

The striker hopes to keep scoring throughout the qualifiers to help the Zebras qualify for their first ever AFCON. So far, Ramatlhakwana has scored in all but one game in the Group K qualifiers. The bulky striker has been instrumental in the 10 points collected by Zebras to finish the first round of qualifiers top of the group.