Former Marumo Gallants head coach Alexander Lafitte has made an honest admission regarding his challenging tenure at the Betway Premiership side.
Lafitte and Gallants parted ways at the end of March following a 12-match winless run, which included seven successive defeats.
The former Stade d’Abidjan mentor had previously guided the club to the final of the Carling Knockout Cup, where they narrowly lost 1-0 to Orlando Pirates. However, his departure was far from smooth, as he was initially placed on suspension before his ultimate exit.
The French tactician hinted at internal politics and structural issues behind the scenes, suggesting that his unceremonious exit had very little to do with his tactical output or the team’s performances on the pitch. Despite keeping the club afloat and delivering a historic cup run, Lafitte felt that deep-rooted administrative instability ultimately compromised his project at Gallants.
ALEXANDRE LAFITTE EXPLAINS HIS DEPARTURE AT BETWAY PREMIERSHIP SIDE
“No, it did not really surprise me because, from the moment I arrived, I had the feeling that this journey would eventually come to an end,” Lafitte told FARPost.
“Unfortunately, the reasons were not purely football-related. When you join a club that has never really had coaching stability, when your team is not in a relegation position, when you help generate value for the club through player development and transfers, and when you take the club to a domestic cup final, it becomes clear that factors beyond sporting performance are involved.”
“At a certain point, the conditions were simply no longer there for us to continue working together. I do not wish to go into the details, but both my wife and I went through some personally difficult moments during that period,” he added.
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“Looking back, I see it as an experience that was both interesting and enriching. I learned a great deal and met some wonderful people along the way. At the same time, it could be quite a toxic environment.
“Today, I prefer to focus on the positive aspects, the lessons I learned, and what we managed to achieve together rather than on the negative side of the story.”
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