DUNCAN Lechesa’s first training session with Bloemfontein Celtic as caretaker coach of the senior team yesterday went “okay”.
At least that’s what Lechesa said yesterday as he took over a club very low on morale following the shock resignation of Clinton Larsen on Monday. Larsen quit when he was asked to improve on his technical team, but fans had been calling for his sacking since Sunday.
Rumours are that Larsen quit because he had already got offers elsewhere, and basically used Monday’s tense post-match meeting like an emergency exit.
Celtic are not exactly battling relegation, but the 2-0 defeat to MP Black Aces at home at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium on Sunday was definitely their biggest stumble so far.
It was also their fifth straight match without victory.
Their last win this season was against University of Pretoria in September. But Lechesa believes they will bounce back.
“The players are still in a state of shock,” Lechesa admitted.
“But I’ve been motivating them and told them to move on, since such things happen in football. Their focus should now be on the ball and not the man.
“The good thing is that I have experienced players in Lebogang Manyama, Geofrey Massa and Musa Bilankulu.”
Lechesa, who has been at the helm of Celtic’s MultiChoice Diski Challenge team, said he planned to implement some changes at the club but “it will not be a complete overhaul of what we currently have”.
As part of his plans to maintain a positive mindset in the team so they are ready for anything against tricky Chippa United in their next clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 18 December, Lechesa will give his players a break this week.
They go on break tomorrow and reassemble next Tuesday, with another two-day break next week.
“Clinton has done a great job and laid a good foundation,” Lechesa said. “Lehlohonolo Seema and I now need to take the team forward.”