BDF XI has reinstated Letang Kgengwenyane as the coach to take over at the club. ‘Rasta,’ as the humble tactician is affectionately known in football circles, takes over from the recently fired Elijah Chikwanda. The news of Kgengwenyane’s reinstatement was confirmed by BDF XI chairperson Brigadier Boikanyo Addanes. “Yes, I can confirm that ‘Rasta’ is back in the country and will be taking over at BDF XI. Contrary to what has been said, we have not hired him but rather reinstated him. He has always been our coach and was never fired, hence why we say we reinstated him, not hired him,” Addanes said.
The BDF XI chairperson says they have already sat down with Kgengwenyane and updated him on the state of the club. The coach is also said to have already been introduced to the players. Speaking in an interview, the BDF XI Chairperson said it was a no brainer that they reinstated the coach, who he describes as ‘one of the few highly qualified coaches in the country.’ According to Addanes, Kgengwenyane knows the club very well, having coached it before and he knows how ambitious and thirsty to succeed the club is.
He however says there will be no pressure on the tactician when he resumes his duties at the helm of the club, something which he is expected to do this coming year. “We are under no pressure to hurry Kgengwenyane to take over and as such he will only resume his coaching duties at the club this coming year. At the moment, we want him to observe and analyse the team and then give the executive committee a comprehensive report of what needs to be done. This is what he has been doing since he was reinstated, going to the team’s training, meeting with the interim coaches and players and assessing the situation,” Addanes added.
He says another reason for not putting the coach under pressure to succeed is that he will be building a new team as some of the team’s experienced campaigners have been ditched for young blood. “This is not a similar team to the one that he (Kgengwenyane) left when he went to further his studies. Since he left, we have lost experienced campaigners like Boitumelo Mafoko, Ndiyapo Letsholathebe and Otlantshekela Mooketsi.
We have replaced them with young inexperienced players who are new to the premier league and need to gain experience,” he explains. The news of Kgengwenyane’s reinstatement will come as no surprise to the team’s supporters as well as many football followers in the country. Though he never got the credit for the team’s successes this past season as BDF XI won the Mascom Top 8 tournament and came second in the league, the tactician is seen as the foundation on which the success was built.
When he left to further his studies earlier this season, the tactician was leaving behind a very well skilled team that had a storming start to the 2013/4 Premier League season.
‘Matebele’ did not only score goals for fun but played attractive football. With Chikwanda fired at the time when Kgengwenyane was near the completion of his studies, the tactician was always touted as a clear favourite to retake the ‘Matebele’ hot coaching seat. With BDF XI set to compete in the continental championships this coming year, ‘Rasta’ is said to be the best man to lead the team into Africa and to also keep it fighting in the beMOBILE Premier League as well as the Mascom Top 8 which ‘Matebele’ are aiming to defend.
