Letsoaka returns ‘home’ to Ea Lla Koto
SERAME Letsoaka is not surprised by his appointment as Free State Stars coach because he has been frequently asked when he’d return “home” by the club’s management and supporters.
Former Stars defender Letsoaka was confirmed as Ea Lla Koto’s new coach yesterday after the struggling club parted ways with their Italian coach Giovanni Solinas for the second time in less than a year.
This is Letsoaka’s third job in a space of a year and a half, having previously sat in the hot seat at Golden Arrows and Bloemfontein Celtic.
“I am humbled by management to call me back where I made my playing career. This is the only club I played for professionally.
“It’s special for me,” said Letsoaka yesterday.
“I would not say I had known about the job, but I remember a few times I played against Stars when I was at Arrows and Celtic, there were always questions from everybody – be it supporters or management – asking me ‘when are you coming back home?’ When I got the call, I made a decision to join the club. We are still finalising [the contract], but the most important thing is the next six months.”
The coming months will indeed be important, to turn what has been a topsyturvy season around. Currently third from bottom, Stars have managed a paltry three victories in 15 matches and they are just two points ahead of bottom placed Baroka.
Letsoaka joins the club at a good time of the year, when they are on recess due to the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. This will give him a chance to see which areas need to be strengthened and to know the players well.
“The time we have will be very important. It presents me with an opportunity to prepare the team the way I want. I still have about two weeks to see the areas we need to strengthen,” said the former national under20 coach.
“The biggest thing is to stabilise the team and move away from the position we are in at the moment. When team is stable and when they know how I work, then we can thinking further,” he said.