SA tactician Morena Ramorobeli has explained why Kaizer Chiefs left-back Xolani Cossa’s move to Botswana is good and what other teams can learn from it.
The 21-year-old Chiefs reserve left-back completed a surprise loan move to the neighbouring country to Owen Da Gama’s Black Lions and has put in a great shift fitting in like a glove.
According to Ramoreboli, Cossa was supposed to move to Botswana last season because he wanted him at Jwaneng Galaxy, but Amakhosi decided to promote him and unfortunately, he never made his senior debut as he had to play DDC the following season.
After helping Chiefs to win their first DDC league title, Cossa graduated to the senior side but couldn’t make the breakthrough and was thus loaned out to Lions.
Speaking in an interview with SAFJA members, Ramoreboli explained that Cossa’s move is good and more DDC graduates should be loaned out to Botswana so that they can grow and get more game time.
“Fortunately, Xolani, I wanted him because I have a very good relationship with Coach Vela [Khumalo], so I wanted him at Jwaneng Galaxy, and we had already finalized things,” the Botswana national team coach said.
“Unfortunately, when the move had to happen, I think there was a possibility of him being promoted to the senior team, and we had to withdraw. Unfortunately, he had to play another season in the DDC.
“But I think if one has to advise a lot of teams in South Africa, and which is something that I was saying this side about our junior teams, especially the national teams, I said we have the under 20s.
“They go for COSAFA After COSAFA, they just disappear, because we don’t have proper channels where we put them so that they can grow and be ready for the Zebras. And is the same thing with the DDC program.”
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“The DDC program has benefited many players, but at the same time, there are a lot of players that have just disappeared with good talent, just because maybe in his position, there is someone doing well, and the team could not promote him to the senior team,” he added.
“For me, I think it’s high time that South African teams with DDC laps, they need to start having relationships with teams in Botswana where they can easily place some of their good players, because I still feel that they will grow.
“So, for me, I think it’s a very good platform for players to grow, because the league is also growing. The league is becoming very competitive and it’s very physical. So, if you get your players to play this side, I still feel that maybe in a year or two, they will be ready to play in the senior team.
“It’s always difficult for Xolani to break into the senior team of Kaizer Chiefs, because there they want the results. There they want to be consistent. They want to win. They don’t have time to experiment. So that is why maybe it will be difficult for Xolani, if one has to talk of [Aden] McCarthy, he had to play the national team.
“He was part of the CHAN team, which I think it prepared him for the senior team challenges. So, for me, I feel that it’s very important that opportunity, can be used by many clubs to say, we have these players. Can you have a look at them? Matebele is one of the teams that is coached by [Reneilwe] Letsholonyane.
“They are playing with lot of young players. And if you get two, three young players from South Africa, from the DDC League, who have graduated, they can come here and contribute. So, I think that’s the most important thing. And again, I still feel that many of the players that are coming in from South Africa, they are doing well, honestly, there’s also one boy at Matebele. He played for couple of clubs. He’s doing very well here. So, I think, personally, it’s a good thing that we see. “
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