Reaping the fruits of football

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Thursday March 29, 2007 00:00

Though he has retired from playing, he is considering a comeback. The football nomad started his playing career at Township Rollers in the early 1990s when he was still at Old Naledi Senior Secondary. It was at Rollers where he made his name and earned himself a place in the senior national team.

Pio said he played for one of the best Township Rollers' squads alongside the likes of goalkeeper  Thabo Motang, Mmoni 'States' Segopolo, Moses 'Killer' Dipatane and Desmond Molefhe. From Rollers he went to Lobtrans Gunners, BDF XI, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Mogoditshane Fighters before his swansong as Naughty Boys last year. Pio advised that the football career can be very shot and players should fully take advantage of it. He said people always approached him with better offers and that is why he moved.

He left Rollers because Gunners gave him a better package. He is full of praises for former Gunners'  financier ,Ousi Pandor, as a man who keeps his promises. He said Pandor treated him very well.

He left the Lobatse side for BDF XI  in 1997 and again he had the time of his life as the army side looked after him well. Then came former Chiefs' financier, McClean Letshwiti. Pio said Letshwiti has done so much for him in life.  'We need people like him in football.  He has helped me a lot.'  He said it was Letshwiti who facilitated his studies in the United States where he obtained a degree in Physical Education. He is currently a Physical Education teacher at a junior secondary school in Thamaga.

In the US, he played semi-professional soccer and won a number of titles with Californian club, Chico Rooks.

Pio said his memorable time at the Zebras was when they won the King's Millennium Cup in Swaziland in 2000. During this time, the Zebras did not have the current level of support. 'But we had so many talented players,' he said. These included Tummie Duicker and former Tafic midfield maestro Mompoloki BB Sechele. Pio feels that if they had sponsorship then, the team could have done far much better.

After being handled by a number of coaches, he said that he got interested in the job. So he retired last year to join Premier League side Santos as assistant coach. He intends to become a successful coach. He said the Physical Education degree he got from the US has become helpful in his coaching job.  Pio has attended coaching courses in South Africa.

Last year he coached Bokamoso Community Junior Secondary School to the finals of the BISA Coca-Cola finals. Interestingly, the veteran has not ruled the possibility of going back to the soccer field again.  He said there are many people who are encouraging him to resume his playing career, including the Santos' coach, Clever  Hunda. Pio is in his early 30s and says he is still fit to play.  'I still feel I have a lot to offer.'

He said he might make a comeback during the next season or when the Coca-Cola Cup kicks off. He retired last year because he was let down by the Naughty Boys' management.  He said the management was not doing things properly and this demoralised  him to quit. He regards football as a natural talent that he should share with others.  This is why Pio took up coaching.