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BFA sets tough targets for Ramoreboli

Earn your stripes: Ramoreboli was unveiled as the Zebras new coach yesterday PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
Earn your stripes: Ramoreboli was unveiled as the Zebras new coach yesterday PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG

The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has asked newly appointed Zebras coach, Morena Ramoreboli, to set new records during his two years in charge of the national team.

Ramoreboli was unveiled as the new coach on Thursday on a two-year deal and the BFA has set him ambitious targets to achieve. He joins the Zebras' set-up after an impressive output with league champions, Jwaneng Galaxy, where he won the championship on two occasions. He also led the domestic champions in the group stages of the CAF Champions League for two seasons. The South African tactician also had a national team stint, leading Bafana Bafana to a COSAFA Cup triumph in 2021. He impressed the Lekidi Football Centre's top brass after he helped the Zebras qualify for the 2025 AFCON finals. At the Zebras, Ramoreboli has been tasked with breaking new grounds with a previously misfiring side. The BFA president Tariq Babitseng has charged the coach with reaching the knockout rounds of the 2025 AFCON finals.

The Zebras have never gone beyond the group stages of the AFCON finals after they were knocked out in the group stages in their first and only appearance in 2012. The team finished last in a four-team group without a point, scoring two goals whilst conceding nine goals. Babitseng has also tasked Ramoreboli with qualifying for the 2026 CHAN finals, which will also be a first as the Zebras have failed in all their efforts to qualify for the continental tournament. Due to a lack of funds, Zebras gave up their slot in the 2025 qualifiers. The BFA has further told the new Zebras coach to reach the top 30 in the continental rankings, which will mean they will have to match a record achieved nearly 15 years ago. The Zebras' highest ranking in Africa was number 26 achieved in 2010. Ramoreboli is also expected to collect 12 points from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The team collected 12 points in the 2014 World Cup qualifying phase and it remains the highest, more than a decade later. The Zebras are currently on six points and placed third after four games in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. They trail group leaders, Algeria by three points. Lastly, Ramoreboli has been asked to bring home the COSAFA Cup title in 2025.

The Zebras have reached the final on two occasions but are yet to win the regional title. If Ramoreboli achieves the targets, he will become the Zebras' best-performing coach, surpassing Stanley Tshosane's feat of reaching the AFCON finals in 2012. Tshosane also led the team to the highest ranking in the world at number 53 in 2010. But Ramoreboli is undeterred and said with consistent performances, the targets could be easily achieved.

He added that he would look to instil a sense of responsibility and duty in the players as he seeks to refresh the squad with young talent. "I would not be here if I was not ready to reach those targets. It is not going to be easy. I know that there are some that we are not going to achieve. As a human being, I think I will also be honest and come back and say we failed because of this and that and we achieved because of this and that. But the bigger picture is to make sure that we do our best and we achieve greater things," Ramoreboli said during a press conference unveiling him at Lekidi Football Centre yesterday. Ramoreboli holds a CAF A licence and is said to have a good connection with the local football and players, which makes him the best man for the job, Babitseng said.

The BFA president said the objectives reflect the association's ambitions of improving the team whilst also echoing Ramoreboli's ability to lead the team. The Bloemfontein-born Ramoreboli's first assignment as a substantive coach will be a home tie against Algeria followed by a home tie against Somalia in mid-March.

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