Letsholonyane says Matebele experience has prepared him for Chiefs’ trophy challenge

Mochudi Centre Chiefs coach Reneilwe Letsholonyane says his season fighting for survival with Matebele FC has equipped him for the greater expectations now facing him at Chiefs.

The former Bafana Bafana midfielder spent 12 months at Matebele, where the priority was to remain in the Botswana Premier League. His new role carries a different responsibility, with Chiefs expected to compete for silverware.

Letsholonyane believes the demands of his previous job have helped shape his approach as he takes on the challenge of leading a team focused on winning trophies.

“Complaining doesn’t help because you just have to use what you have and use the minimal resources you have to your advantage to try and improve each player, and most of the time when they feel positive and that they are improving then they just focus on their love for the game and not other things,” he told SABC Sport this week.

His methods, however, will depend on the players available to him. Letsholonyane acknowledged that the make-up of the Chiefs squad would influence how he manages the team and approaches matches.

The Botswana League may not yet be considered among Africa’s leading competitions, but Letsholonyane believes it has made significant progress in recent seasons.

“The league is getting there after a lot of growth and improvement over the past few seasons, it still needs more corporate sponsors to come on board, but the level is high and the league is constantly improving.”