Botswana’s teenage star Floyd Motheo has credited Kaizer Chiefs legend Reneilwe ‘Yeye’ Letsholonyane for his latest career breakthrough. The 19-year-old Matebele FC defender was recently called up to represent his country at the Mukuru Four Nations Tournament.
At the heart of that rise, he says, is his Matebele mentor Letsholonyane. ‘Yeye’ is in his first role as head coach and is already making an impact, nurturing a fearless, youthful Matebele team and instilling belief in players like Motheo.
Against all odds, the ex-Bafana Bafana international has led the Kgatleng-based team to 10th place after 25 matches. Despite the pressure of the Botswana Premier League, Yeye has taken a squad with an average age of just 21 and transformed them into one of the most ball-playing sides in the top flight.
For Motheo, who previously played in the Under-20 COSAFA Cup, earning a call-up to the Zebras was more than just a personal milestone, but an endorsement of the work Letsholonyane has been doing at his club.
WHAT DID MOTHEO SAY ABOUT LETSHOLONYANE
“Working with coach Yeye has been good for me as a young player who’s coming in. My first season in the Premiership, he’s helped me a lot in terms of the little mistakes that I make, everything that I do,” Motheo told FARPost.
“Like, just the small things in my game also, telling me where to improve, what to do, and just also giving me advice as a youngster. It’s helped me a lot in getting to where I am right now, to be called into the senior national team. I feel like without him… with his help, he’s helped me a lot to grow and be where I am.”
Botswana national team coach Morena Ramoreboli selected a youthful squad for the Mukuru-sponsored tournament. The Zebras finished third behind Zimbabwe and Zambia. Motheo believes his two South African coaches are helping him improve his game.
“I feel like both of them coming in as South Africans, that also brings that little, that South African flair, that intensity,” added Motheo. “Because coach Letsholonyane was a top, top player in South Africa. As my coach, he always demands intensity, demands top, top performances from all of us. So even though we may sometimes struggle as a team because of our age and inexperience, he still demands the best from us. And I feel like eventually, that will come soon.
“And with Coach Morena, he also brings that intensity, the demand that we need. Because of where he comes from, one of the highest-ranked leagues on the continent. I feel that’s also good for us as youngsters.”
WHAT RAMOREBOLI THINKS OF MOTHEO
Meanwhile, Ramoreboli has tipped Motheo to become “a top player”. Nicknamed Mo, the Botswana youth international came through the Fleetwood Town International Football Academy in the United Kingdom.
He arrived at FTIFA during a tour in April 2023 and is now benefiting from a long-term training programme. “There is a boy at Matebele FC called Floyd Motheo. That’s one player for me who needs to be guided well. He will grow and become a top player,” Ramoreboli said in a previous interview.
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