LETSHOLONYANE LEAVES FC PLATINUM FOR BOTSWANA TOP JOB
FC Platinum assistant coach Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane has left the club to take over as head coach of Botswana FNB Premiership giants Mochudi Centre Chiefs.
The South African legend, who joined Pure Platinum Play in July as part of Thabo Senong’s backroom staff alongside Thabang Mahlako, bade farewell yesterday after a short but impressive stint at Mandava.
In eight matches under the trio, FC Platinum recorded five wins, two draws and one defeat. The run includes a 1-1 draw with Simba Bhora, a 1-0 win over MWOS, a 1-0 victory against Agama, a 2-0 win over Black Mambas, a goalless draw with Scottland, and 1-0 wins over TelOne and ZPC Kariba. Their only defeat was a 1-3 loss to Scottland in the Chibuku Super Cup.
In an exclusive interview with Sports Grind Africa, Letsholonyane said his time in Zimbabwe had been memorable.
“To be honest, Zimbabwe has been nice to me, I don’t want to lie. It’s just that this is an opportunity that has come for me to improve myself. I love to give myself a challenge,” he said.
The former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana midfielder said the move to Botswana is a stepping stone and he would love to return to Zimbabwe in the future.
“Definitely, I am going to Botswana gunning for the championship. Mochudi Centre Chiefs is a big team and has a decent squad, so winning the championship is possible. If you ask me if I will win it, I don’t know, but that is what I am going there for. Yes, I will then come back to Zimbabwe some day, probably with Bulawayo Chiefs. Amakhosi,” he said jokingly.
Interestingly, his new club Mochudi Centre Chiefs share a similar identity with his former club. The Botswana giants are nicknamed Magosi Maaparankwe, which translates to Amakhosi in IsiZulu.
Mochudi Centre Chiefs are one of Botswana’s most decorated clubs with four league titles to their name. They bounced back to the Premiership after acquiring Masitaoka’s franchise following their relegation in 2019.
“Mochudi Centre Chiefs is not a small team. I think it will open more avenues for me,” Letsholonyane added.
Fc platinum has since confirmed the departure of Yeye and Appointed Onesimo Bhasera as new Assistant.
