Likhopo: Down but not out
FC Likhopo has become an institution of football in Lesotho. Despite only being formed in 2000 the club has made its mark on Lesotho’s football winning consecutive league titles in 2005 and 2006. However despite its achievements Likhopo is arguably best known for its conveyer belt of talent. The club’s list of graduates is simply breathtaking. Bokang Mothoana, Ralekoti Mokhahlane, Sello ‘Muso, Tefo Maipato, Tlali Maile, Lieta Lehloka, Katleho Moleko, the list goes on and on… and on. Earlier this year six of Lesotho’s squad at the Caf African Youth Championships were Likhopo products. But as is the case in Lesotho’s football things are often far from rosy. We go back in time, to an appointment that proved just that…
I’m an hour late arriving at Likhopo’s Moshoeshoe II base for an appointment with Bishop Molatoli, the owner, founder and coach of the team. Taxis.
Thankfully though despite it being a rather soggy, chilly afternoon Molatoli is in bright, balmy mood. Still his upbeat outlook is in spite him being charged (and found guilty) by the league’s disciplinary committee of verbally assaulting a referee the day before.
Never one to mince his words Molatoli is in hot water, again. “I have been accused of swearing at a referee,” he says, stone-faced.
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| Likhopo's Lekhanya Lekhanya (left) |
The charge relates to a Premier League game between Likhopo and LMPS last November. Guilty, Molatoli has been slapped with a three-month ban that effectively ends his season. It’s a bitter blow but Molatoli is unusually reserved. “I will not be appealing,” he says. “I have accepted the decision.”
With the niceties out of the way we can begin to discuss all things football, all things Likhopo.
Only formed in 1999, the following decade has seen Likhopo rise from Sunday Pitso Ground part-timers to established elite league campaigners, with two championships for good measure. But, as Molatoli discloses, Likhopo FC might have never been. “When we began the objective was never to start a club. I was building a team for the nation,” he says. At the time Molatoli embarked on “building” this team he was still a youth coach at his childhood club Matlama and therefore his young fledglings were seen as feeders for Tse Putsoa’s first team.
However that wasn’t Molatoli’s plan and simmering friction between coach (and former player) and club in the end resulted in an acrimonious divorce. “We had disagreements with Matlama’s management and we had to leave. We were expelled from Pitso Ground,” Molatoli says with his firmly fixed on his training charges.
Whether ‘Bishop’s boys’ were deemed a threat to Matlama’s own feeder side Winners might never be known, but cast aside the youngsters were given a name that befitted their circumstance. “I saw the boys and they had nothing on, they were shirtless, so I said to them ‘you are Likhopo’ and the name stuck.”
As with its christening, Likhopo’s ascent in Lesotho football has been the stuff of folklore. Shortly after its formation FC Likhopo purchased a B-Division status and began campaigning in the third tier in 2000… by 2002 they were preparing for life in the Premier League. “We just went straight up,” Molatoli smiles.
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| Bishop Molatoli |
The miracles didn’t end there. After surviving their first season finishing twelfth, Likhopo, even to the surprise of their manager, went on to capture two successive league championships in 2004/05 and 2005/06. “In our second season we reinforced with experienced players like Moses (Ramafole), Motlatsi Shale and Tšepo (Hlojeng),” Molatoli recalls. “Honestly our aim that season was just to finish in the top eight, but we ended up winning the league,” he grins.
With those mature heads and the raw talents of Bokang Mothoana, Ralekoti Mokhahlane and Sello ‘Muso, Molatoli was able to brew a concoction that would dominate Lesotho football. With two league titles, the 2007 Imperial Top 8 and the stranglehold of the state teams (LDF and LCS) broken, Likhopo were on top of the world.
Yet even during that period Likhopo were leaking players. And after their unprecedented highs things began to go south. “We started to lose a large number of players. Most went to school like Fokothi (Lerotholi) and Roma (National University of Lesotho), others went abroad. It meant that every year we had to promote players and that harmed us,” Molatoli explains.
Unable to cope Likhopo started sliding down a slippery slope, and only finished sixth in 2006/07. It’s a slide that continues today. Inexperienced and naive Likhopo have been shadow of their former selves languishing in ninth position. “If you look at the team now we only have two senior players Makhabane (Kotope) and Nyakhane (Nyakhane). They are the only ones you can call senior; from there it is young boys. As a result we have been losing games by small margins,” Molatoli says.
Even so, as he speaks Molatoli’s gratification is obvious to see. “I’m so proud, even now (with the losses) I am satisfied because I could see where we are going,” he beams. Even so, despite that pride Likhopo hasn’t been an easy ride. Far from it.
With no sponsorship to speak of, a football club’s existence in Lesotho is a precarious if not hopeless one. And after a jovial atmosphere a darker, sadder tone appears. “It’s painful to run football in this country,” Molatoli laments. “You need amazing love for the game and if you don’t have a strong woman behind you, you can find your home broken,” he adds.
The facts back that up. “I’m in a problem right now,” he says softly. “In the first round alone, when I put it together, I have spent M32 000 just on transport. Just for transport, no food, nothing else. I have spent that much for Little Flower (Likhopo’s development side) and Likhopo,” he says.
At a time where football worldwide has become a money spinning business, in Lesotho football is sucking the blood of those who give it most. “The money is from own pocket, money that I don’t have. I have been lucky to have a wife who loves sport and loves these kids. I remember telling her that I’m dismantling the team because it’s killing me but she talked me out of it,” he says softly. “I’ll tell you right now I don’t have my own house. For the years don’t you think I would have a mansion?” Molatoli asks ruefully.
Bearing in mind that winning the league only gets a team M30 000, the losses sides lower down in the division incur are mind boggling. With that state of affairs it’s impossible to believe football in Lesotho is sustainable, and Molatoli is frank in his assessment.
“Our football has no future. Look what is happening with Majantja. It was run by one man, Ntate Matete; he gave his money and life to the club. He did that because he loved football just like the rest of us. But there’s no way our teams will survive without money,” he says. “If we had sponsors it would help. I’m not doing this for myself. There’s nothing that I get from this, there’s nothing that I benefit out of football. Nothing.”
So what can be done?
“You saw Nedbank (Nedbank Cup in South Africa) last week how much they gave to their tournament. What about our banks what are they doing? But you don’t se the same from our banks,” he says. “There are many people in this country that can help football, Maseru there are many people, Leribe there are many people have money and I can never see Linare suffering.”
Who does Molatoli blame? “I blame the government. Our government has to show that they care about our football. If you look at other governments how they throw themselves into the affairs of sport in their country,” he laments. “If it’s so hard to attract sponsorship then why doesn’t the government subsidise us, for example M20 000 for each team. It’s not a huge amount but it would help a lot,” Molatoli insists. “Why can’t the municipalities come here and fix these grounds and grow grass? That’s where we have to start to show that we want get somewhere.”
What about the Lesotho Football Association (Lefa)?
“I’m not happy at all. I don’t see what they (Lefa) are doing for teams. They don’t go out looking for sponsorships; they don’t go out to help teams get sponsors. If they don’t do that they might as well not be there. And I’m not saying the money should just be for the Premier League, no, the first division needs help as well because that’s where the future lies,” Molatoli says.
And he should know. Under his tutelage Likhopo have produced heaps of quality players for Lesotho. Mothoana, Mokhahlane, 'Muso, Neo Makama; the list goes on and on.
But Molatoli fears for the future and more specifically the well being of the national team: “Likuena is suffering because of our development. Basotho are jealous people, even they see that some one is doing a good job they won’t say, they first have to see what they can destroy. That kind of attitude will get us nowhere,” he says.
“We need to work together. There shouldn’t be two Bishop’s but ten. The country is much bigger than any personal achievements,” he says.
The youth is paramount to Molatoli.
“If I were given the job to build the youth structures for Lesotho I would do it. There are people that are sitting there and they are just relaxing,” he says. “If they say take this job after five years we want to have national youth teams I would do it. The talent in this country is amazing it’s just that we do not care about it,” Molatoli adds before revealing in the moment that the Likuena job is in his sights. “I would love to coach my country one day. I love more my country more than anything. I could leave Likhopo tomorrow if I was given the opportunity,” he says.
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| Likhopo |
However this is Likhopo tenth anniversary and Molatoli’s the main focus is on the team he has worked so hard to establish. What does the future hold for Likhopo? Where will Likhopo be in five years? “This season our target is top eight. With the way the boys are playing now the top four is available but the minimum is the top eight,” he says.
“I’m so happy,” he adds smiling, almost as if talking about Likhopo cleanses his soul. “Even when we were losing I could see the light at the end of the tunnel and now I tell you, anyone who comes to Likhopo should come humbly. These boys are playing football.”
It is this point that the conversation completely turns into one-way traffic. “When I watch them play my heart goes white,” Molatoli says proudly, before giving the names of the brightest lights in the latest production line. “There’s one boy Nyakhane that boy can play anywhere, we have Nana (Thapelo Tale). Then there’s the young boy from Red Devils (Likhopo’s development), he skipped Little Flower and straight to the senior team, Salebone Lekhooa. The others are good as well but those boys can go anywhere in the world,” Molatoli beams.
But Likhopo are still only ninth in the league, will they ever win the league title again? “If I can keep these boys then we can win the league next season. I’m telling you that we can win the league. I don’t care what anybody says. We could have taken it (the title) even now but we’ve just been losing when we should have won,” he says.
But before the conversation ends Molatoli is at pains to make clear that Likhopo is about more than just football.
“At Likhopo the biggest thing is education, football is just the lunchbox. First and foremost is education. I’m so proud of this team; we have produced so many educated people. Some have degrees,” he says.
That word ‘proud’ has come up time again and Molatoli has plenty to be proud about, Likhopo have forever changed the landscape of Lesotho football.
Nevertheless, as Molatoli speaks, the glow on his face can’t hide the dangers that threaten the very existence of Likhopo, “If I don’t get any funding then Likhopo won’t be anymore. It is so hard and I’m telling you if I don’t get any help you might not even see Likhopo at the beginning of next season.”
No one would want to see that happen.
First written in March 2009
(Note: Likhopo literally translated means ribs in Sesotho. The term Likhopo in language signifies being shirtless.)
