'BULL’ WANT MOKENKOANE BACK, LEKOTA OUT

MBABANE – All out to be the best this season!

Already star-studded and beaten only once in the current MTN Premier League log leaders Mbabane Highlanders are looking to make one or two transfers in the second window period in March. The second window, according to the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) opens on March 7 until month-end. Highlanders are strongly linked with Royal Leopard’s South African forward Thabiso Mokenkoane, who was one of the big names in the club before he left to cross the Rubicon and joined Mbabane Swallows. Among the country’s three giant sides, Manzini Wanderers were first to make it known that they were going to make at least three to four signings to bolster their squad in every department. While no names were mentioned, one or two former players are being linked with a return after a transfer during preseason and they include winger Siphamandla Dhlamini. However, with the capital city giants they have named their target and have already started making advances.

At least if this information sourced from the black and white camp is anything to go by. The league leaders are also not shy to name their targets as always and more often than not, they land them into their ‘kraal’. “Foreigners are signed in and out of the club by the director, Chief Ally Kgomongwe, so he’s better positioned to respond to your question, but yes, there will be some additions to the squad if the MD and technical bench feel we need to boost as we have big plans which include our goal to play in CAF Champions League,” responded one official in the club on condition of anonymity without denying.

As per the official’s assertion, Kgomongwe was sought to clear the air on this one, especially because he had an opportunity to re-sign Mokenkoane before he went to join Leopard from Mbabane Swallows last season. “Look, Thabiso had his issues with me and we long got over them. We’ve been in good terms with the player and whatever we had between us was resolved. It’s no secret that I want him back in the club to work with ‘Sikhali’ upfront. “I brought in Lekota but I’m not so impressed that he’s not playing yet I do not want a foreigner on the bench. Lekota has an injury and its keeping him out so I’m releasing him to open up space for a foreigner who can come in and play like the other four right now,” he responded.

Transfer

Kgomongwe said while he acknowledged and respected the fact that he was still signed with Leopard, he also appreciated that the transfer window was nigh so he was already making plans to bolster his team. “I’m talking to Thabiso about it but we’re definitely bringing in either him or even Lekata who is also being considered, but the coach also knows some players so, we’ll decide with him but I’m busy talking to Thabiso,” he said. Meanwhile, the striker Kgomongwe said was due to be released was former Mpumalanga Black Aces and Sweden’s Balfour Park FC Academy star forward Reabetswe Lehlohonolo Lekota, who is decorated various accolades as an academy player. He even got a national team call-up for the Chile World Cup 2015 but the South African did not make the final squad.

Awards

Lekota has various Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards under various academies in South Africa, Sweden and Holland and is aged 23 years. He has only featured once for Highlanders since joining the team a few matches into the season. He played in the win against Malanti Chiefs but sustained an injury that has kept him off the action.
Meanwhile, Mokenkoane was also sought for comment but was not immediately available. His club’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Frank Hurube’s cellphone consistently rang unanswered when sought. If Mokenkoane were to return to Highlanders, he would join fellow South Africans in regulars David ‘GP’ Molekuli, wingers Nkosinathi ‘Smally’ Fakude, Kenneth ‘Mashaba’ Moloto and Tony ‘Ben 10’ Machacha. All four foreign stars are playing regular football weekly with capital city giants.

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