Matlama hire Matete as coach

Seephephe Matete is the new man in charge at Matlama

Matlama have hired former Lesotho caretaker boss Seephephe “Mochini” Matete as their new coach. Tse Putsoa confirmed the appointment on Friday.

Matete replaces Moses Maliehe who was confirmed as the new permanent coach of the national team Likuena last week. Sello Seholoholo and Mokoena Mohale had been in temporary charge of Matlama after Maliehe’s departure.

Matete served as the Lesotho Football Association’s technical director for four years before taking over as Likuena caretaker coach in February 2014 after Leslie Notši joined South African First Division side United FC.

He held the post of interim Likuena boss until November 2015 when he was sacked following Likuena’s failure to qualify for the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament.

Matete’s appointment is a surprise but he will be helped by his history at Tse Putsoa. He is one of the club’s greatest ever players and was a star of Matlama’s dominant sides of the 1970s and 80s. He was also a successful Lesotho international during that period.

Matete has also coached Lesotho’s Under-20 side. He was at the helm of the golden Makoanyane XI generation that qualified for the 2005 African Youth Under-20 Championship held in Benin. The same side also made the final of the COSAFA Under-20 Championships before losing 1-0 to Madagascar, the closest Lesotho has come to claiming the regional junior crown.

He takes over a Matlama side that ends 2016 on a low. The Pitso Ground side is seventh in the Vodacom Premier League, ten points behind league leaders Bantu. Matlama, Lesotho’s most successful club, are trophyless since 2010.

Matete’s first game in charge will be on January 7 when Matlama host Bantu at Setsoto Stadium.