Marumo Gallants head coach Ronnie Kanalelo has cleared the air regarding his relationship with Katlego Otladisa, following their heated touchline disagreement in last month’s match against Orlando Pirates in the league.
Kananelo was in charge of his first match at Gallants when they lost 2-0 against the Soweto giants in the Betway Premiership at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper took over the coaching job at Gallants in September 2026, aiming to help the club turn their fortunes after having a slow start to the 2026/27 season.
Kanalelo is taking over the hot seat to replace Phuti Mohafe, who was fired after only two months in charge at Bahlabane Ba Ntwa. Mohafe arrived at Gallants in the off-season after making a name for himself at Polokwane City FC.
After replacing the Limpopo-born coach at the Bloemfontein-based side, Kanalelo sat on the bench in a disappointing defeat against the defending league champions, Pirates, on 20 September 2026.
In a match against the Sea Robbers, Kanalelo made a shock substitution by pulling off the highly rated winger Otladisa in the opening 20 minutes.
After the embarrassing substitution, videos circulating on social media showed Otladisa snubbing a handshake from his coach before having a go at Kanalelo, with his teammates trying their best to calm the situation.
‘IT’S JUST A FOOTBALLING ISSUE’: KANALELO ON OTLADISA RELATIONSHIP
Following the touchline drama, a strong public perception emerged that Kanalelo harboured personal animosity towards the winger, with fans and pundits speculating about a rift between the pair. However, the Namibian tactician moved swiftly to dismantle that narrative.
The coach stated that he holds no grudge against Otladisa “as a human being,” drawing a clear line between personal issues and professional standards. In doing so, he made it clear that their dynamic remains purely performance-driven, framing the incident not as a personal fallout, but as a standard tactical correction.
“You know people are talking about the relationship, but it’s just a footballing issue. It’s all about the tactical aspect of the game and the effectiveness,” Kanalelo said, replying to a question from FARPost.
“If the player is not giving or doing what we want, then our tactical operation will not work. The players are there to give us that tactical effectiveness. So defensively I was not happy with him, and he put us a little bit on the back foot. It’s nothing about Otladisa as a human being but him as a player on the pitch not giving us what we want.”
Otladisa is in his second stint with Gallants, having rejoined the club in the 2025/26 campaign on a free transfer after leaving Pirates.
Last season, the 30-year-old made 20 appearances across all competitions and registered four assists.
RELATED STORY: Katlego Otladisa breaks silence on touchline fight with Makgalwa
