MASERU – Likuena head coach Thabo Senong is hopeful that things will change for the better after being at the helm of the national team for the past 12 months.
sports
Sept. 7, 2020
OWN CORRESPONDENT
3 min read
Coach Senong reflects back since taking over
Likuena head coach Thabo Senong
Senong who took over from Moses Maliehe says the road has not been easy for him as a foreign coach because of the different perspective and approach he brings.
He said although he encountered several challenges in the first month of his contract, things are however normalizing now and there is hope for success.
Commenting on the LeFA website, the former South African national under-20 team coach said: “I am extremely grateful and humbled to have been with LeFA and Lesotho Football for 12 months now. It is a good milestone for me and I hope it can last longer.”
He added: “The first six months were extremely tough to adapt and function as I never had a chance to study the Lesotho Premier League. It was not easy for the players to accept me in the dressing room because I am a foreign coach and I was bringing different ideas, but football is universal and it's not played in a vacuum.”
He said they had to find common tactical agreements on the field and common behavioural agreements in the dressing room to help them be a better team.
That he said worked out well because he is not a dictator as he values the opinions of players, the staff and everyone around him.
The Pimville born mentor who also worked under Coaches Shakes Mashaba and Stuart Baxter with Bafana Bafana, said the congestion of international matches after his appointment made life more difficult for him as he had to play back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia.
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“We had many international fixtures between September and November. We played seven matches, drew five and lost two matches. The second six months has been a productive period as I interacted with many coaches, physical trainers, medical experts and players.
“It was important for me to be in Lesotho during the football break as foreign coach working here. It helped me to have a good understanding of the dynamics, the language, the culture and sociology of the country.
“I have learnt a lot about the players, the culture and football in general. I am really grateful to the players, my employers, LeFA staff, Technical Director, Likuena technical team, the Premier League, media and club coaches that have really made sure that I'm comfortable in my job as a foreign coach,” he also showed. LeNA/Metro
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