Africa-Press – Lesotho. Likuena assistant coach Bob Mafoso says it has been a dream come true to have been given the opportunity to assist national team caretaker coach Leslie Notsi at the ongoing COSAFA Cup in Durban.
Notsi and Mafoso were assigned to lead the Likuena technical team after the Lesotho Football Association parted ways with former coach Veselin Jelusic following a string of poor results.
The two local coaches who both hold CAF A licence coaching badges have since turned Likuena fortunes around hitting the ground running at the regional COSAFA Cup by reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2019.
Likuena began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Mauritius, which was followed by a 1-0 victory over Mozambique to qualify for the semi-finals as the winners of Group C.
They went into their final match yesterday with Angola, which they lost 4-2 already guaranteed a place in the semi-finals, where they will face Group B winners, Malawi.
Notši and Mafoso had previously worked together coaching the Lesotho national Under-20 Makoanyane XI, leading them to the final in 2017, which they lost 2-1 to South Africa.
“We all want to make a difference where we can and I feel honoured to be part of the team, on this interim basis, it is growth that most of us aspire for,” Mafoso said.
“I think it has been a great period of my coaching career. I have since seen that those that come with much pressure are the ones that make one grow more in the game. ”
Mafoso is not surprised that they hit the ground running after reuniting with Notši based on their previous success while coaching the Lesotho Under-20 side, Makoanyane XI.
“It was our target to do well at the tournament and we sold it to the players that we want to give our best and do our country proud,” Bantu head coach said.
“I think it was key that we had the players as the key role players in this mission understand our objective and dream and I think they did not disappoint.
They came on board right away. “There is potential in this team to go as far as the final and most of them have been in this stage before. They have the international experience to rewrite the history books for themselves and the country.
“I think the signs are there that we have what it takes to go all the way and the head coach has been in these situations before, which is a big advantage for us as a team,” he said.
Mafoso, who has already clinched several trophies with Bantu started his career with now defunct Botha-Butha side, Likela FC, and led them to their maiden season of topflight football in 2014.
He was also in charge of another side that is no longer existing, Sundawana FC, when they finished among the top four teams in just their first season playing in the premier league.
Mafoso stated that his dream of becoming a coach was inspired by former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. “Wenger played a big part in me becoming a coach after I hung my boots as a player,” Mafoso said.
“He made me fall in love with coaching based on how well his team played and it inspired my coaching journey. That’s how my career took over and I never looked back since then.
“It’s tough to say where I would want to see myself in the next five years, but I would love to see myself coaching in competitive continental football stages, the CAF Champions League group stages,” he said.
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