Botswana’s Centre Chiefs highlight South Africa pre-season’s impact

Botswana’s Mochudi Centre Chiefs FC coach Pontsho Moloi has declared his team ready for the FNB Premiership after what he described as a productive pre-season camp training in South Africa.

The pre-season saw Centre Chiefs playing four games—losing 2-1 to Jwaneng Galaxy FC, 1-0 to Orbit College FC, sharing spoils at 0-0 with Mamelodi Sundowns before losing to them 1-0 in a double header.

Reflecting on the friendlies, Moloi said his team had been toughened by playing training matches against Betway Premiership opposition during the trip to South Africa.

“I am very happy with the progress that the team is making. It was an issue of acclimatising to a new environment for them. It has been more than three weeks together slowly and surely, they are doing very well. They are clicking together with the guys that have been in the football club before,” he said.

With FNB Premiership sides beefing up their squads, Moloi said he was bracing for a very competitive campaign.

“It is going to be a very good and interesting season with a lot of teams that have beefed up, including us,” the coach said.

“It is going to be a very good and interesting season. I am very optimistic and very happy with the squad. The start of the season will come and we will go for it. Right now, it is all about working on fitness and team cohesion. I am very optimistic of what we will do come the start of the season.”

Former Kaizer Chiefs star Stanton Fredericks owns Centre Chiefs FC through his consortium, and he visited the players to motivate them during the pre-season in South Africa.

The former AmaKhosi attacker urged Centre Chiefs players to make the most of the pre-season in South Africa by building team spirit.

The former South African international recently signed a 15-year management contract with a sporting consortium which he leads. The consortium is called Stanton Fredericks Sports Group.