Eagles coach reveals how he coped with club’s ownership crisis
Royal Eagles coach, Morena Ramoreboli has told Phakaaathi how he managed to block out ownership issues that resulted in the team’s first two matches in the GladAfrica Championship being postponed.
Morena Ramoreboli coach of African Warriors during the National First Division match between Black Leopards and African Warriors at Thohoyandou Stadium on May 10, 2015 in Thohoyandou, South Africa. (Photo by Philip Maeta/Gallo Images)
An ownership battle between the estranged couple, Sbu and Shawn Mpisane led to former launching a case with the Premier Soccer League after the latter had tried to change the team’s name.
But the matter has since been resolved and the team have started their league programme. It has not been a good start however with a 2-2 draw at home against the division’s new boys, JDR Stars and a 3-2 defeat to Swallows FC in their second match at Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Ramoreboli said he just told his players to ignore anything that doesn’t have to do with a ball and focus on their part in the club which is on the field.
“What is important in football is to concentrate on your department,” said Ramoreboli. “We are concerned about what happens on the field. We don’t even look at what happens on the management side, they will sort themselves out. It’s not our issue, ours is to concentrate on the team. Ours is to work more with the team that we have,” he added.
Eagles looked good for the win on Saturday having taken the lead twice – first through Nkanyiso Madonsela and then again when Mashale Rantabane made it 2-1 after Swallows had equalised through Tebogo Sodi. But a late brace by second half substitute Kagiso Malinga undid their work.
“I am very disappointed. This is one match we should have wrapped up easily. We allowed them to come back. We made a lot of technical and tactical mistakes.
“In the first goal we allowed them to receive the ball inside the box, we allowed a free header. In the second goal we were supposed to clear the ball and we couldn’t do it. In the third, we conceded a set piece in a critical time.
But that’s football, it’s lessons every day. You can learn from your mistakes and grow and get better. But we wanted to win this one,” said Ramoreboli.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
