What’s gone wrong for Morena Ramorebodi at Lioli? – Four Reasons

Tumelo Khutlang and Lioli reached their lowest point against Matlama

Lioli suffered their worst defeat in over a decade on Saturday when they lost 4-1 to rivals Matlama in the Econet Premier League. The loss plunged Tse Nala to their lowest depths since Morena Ramorebodi took over as coach at the start of 2018. It has been a difficult start to life in Teyateyaneng for the South African coach.

Lioli have only won once in their first six matches under the former Bloemfontein Celtic assistant coach losing three times and Saturday saw sections of the side’s supporters calling for his head already. So what has gone wrong for Ramorebodi at Tse Nala?

Too many changes too quickly…

Morena Ramorebodi arrived amid much fanfare at the beginning of January and immediately made sweeping changes to the team. Out went seven players and in came six new faces. Amongst the players released were key figures in their recent title successes – goalkeeper Mohau Kuenane, striker Maba Junior and midfielder Motlalepula Mofolo.

In hindsight there were too many changes too quickly, especially given that they came in the middle of the season with no preseason to bed the new players in.

On top of it Ramorebodi dabbled with a new playing system. For example, Lioli used a back three against Matlama (a 0-0 league draw in January) in his first match in charge. It is a formation Tse Nala were using for the first time this season and they often looked disjointed during the game.

However, the change that has perhaps ruined the goodwill of Lioli fans the most is the abrupt dumping of Mofolo. Although his powers were on the wane, the former Lesotho international midfielder remained a good player for Lioli. Most importantly, Mofolo was one of the club’s most loved players.

Surely Ramorebodi could have waited until the end of the season to release the club icon? Now with Lioli struggling the coach has no good faith call upon; the team is struggling and the fans are angry over a hero they have lost.

It has been a tough two months for Morena Ramorebodi

Lack of reliable firepower…

This was a growing problem for Lioli even before Ramorebodi arrived. A team with the likes of Tumelo Khutlang, Montoeli Sonopo and Bushy Moletsane will always create chances. But, frequently the issue over the past year has been finishing them.

It is why Ramorebodi’s releasing of Cameroonian striker Maba Junior was baffling. Although not overly prolific, Maba was Lioli’s top scorer since he joined from Cameroon’s Tonnerre Kalari Club De Yaoundé in January 2013. In his debut season he scored eight goals in the title run-in to play a key role in Lioli’s 2012/13 championship winning campaign. Maba was again vital in Tse Nala’s league successes in 2015 and 2016 with timely goals.

Maba also had the knack of going on scoring runs where he would find form over a stretch of games. On the other hand, Tšepo Lekhooana, who is now the preferred striking choice, has never been a prolific goalscorer.

New South African striker Josef Lekata is also still getting used to the league and, as a result, two of Lioli’s three goals under Ramorebodi have come from a defender (Kopano Tseka) and a winger (Montoeli Sonopo). The other was scored by Lekata.

Maba’s departure was part of a recent and serious Lioli striker drain. Last year Likuena internationals Nkoto Masoabi and Thapelo Tale were allowed to leave. Masoabi has since been a revelation for Kick4Life helping them into the top four last season and he currently has nine league goals to sit second in the golden boot race.

Perhaps most crucially, Lioli were not able to adequately replace offensive fulcrum Tšepo Seturumane when he joined LMPS at the start of the season. The lack of firepower has hamstrung Ramorebodi’s plans.

Lioli under Ramorebodi
14/01/18	League	Matlama	0-0	Lioli	D
04/02/18	League	Lioli	0-1	LDF	L
10/02/18	League	Kick4Life	1-1	Lioli	D
18/02/18	League	Majantja	0-1	Lioli	W
24/02/18	LNIG Top 8	Lioli	0-1	LMPS	L
03/03/18	League	Lioli	1-4	Matlama	L

Loss of form of top players…

Key midfielder Tšoanelo Koetle has not been at his best in recent months and it has affected Lioli. The Likuena star is embroiled in a seemingly unending doping case after refusing to take a drugs test last November (a long story in itself).

Tšoanelo Koetle (left) has not been at his best...

His case is in the High Court and has been a distraction on the field. However, Koetle is not the only key Lioli player struggling for top form. The once reliable backline lead by Kopano Tseka and Mafa Moremoholo, for example, shipped four error-filled goals against Matlama and has only managed one cleansheet in six games in 2018.

Taking over a mess…

When Malemakale Mahlaha quit as Lioli coach in October he claimed there was player power at Tse Nala which made his job impossible. It is something club management strongly denied. Whatever the truth, the vibe has not been as vibrant around Lioli this season. This was a problem Ramorebodi inherited which has made his job doubly difficult.