Former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane has opened up about his “unexpected” nomination for the Coach of the Season award in the Botswana Premier League [BPL].
The South African-born mentor, who is currently at the helm of Matebele FC, has been shortlisted for the Coach of the Season accolade alongside Gaborone United’s Sean Connor and Reuben Njavera of Nico United.
‘Yeye,’ as he is affectionately known within football circles, took over the coaching reins at Matebele in September last year. At the time of his arrival, the club was in 10th place on the BPL log standings, having collected just three points from their opening three outings.
To top it off, the move to Botswana marked Letsholonyane’s first professional coaching role. As things stand, Matebele occupy ninth position on the table after accumulating 33 points from 29 matches.
‘IT CAME AS A SURPRISE’ – RENEILWE LETSHOLONYANE
In an exclusive interview with FARPost, Letsholonyane admitted that the recognition caught him completely off guard, given that such accolades are traditionally reserved for managers battling at the summit of the table.
“Well, I’m very happy, obviously, that I have been nominated for Coach of the Season,” Letsholonyane told FARPost. “To be honest, it was something unexpected because usually, when it comes to such awards, you would expect only coaches at the top of the table to be considered.
“So, for me, I was not even expecting it. This was like a surprise when I saw my name there. But I’m happy and excited about this nomination. I believe this nomination confirms that trusting the process and the action yield fruitful results.”
RENEILWE LETSHOLONYANE APPRECIATES MATEBELE FC HIERARCHY FOR SHOWING PATIENCE
The 43-year-old coach went on to praise the club’s leadership for their unwavering support and patience, particularly during difficult spells when the team was still trying to find its feet under his guidance.
“When things don’t go well, there are a lot of changes. Let me also give credit to the club’s hierarchy and everyone involved in the day-to-day running of the club for their hard work and spirit of togetherness,” he added.
“Even when the results were not forthcoming, we stayed together and did not panic. They understood that it would take time to start seeing the results, and it was only a matter of time.”
Matebele’s last game of the season will be against Sua Flamingoes on Saturday, 30 May, at GU Stadium in Gaborone.
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