Botswana interim coach Morena Ramoreboli hailed the mentality of the squad after a historic result against Egypt in Cairo to secure their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.
The 43-year-old South African was appointed caretaker coach after the sudden resignation of Dider Da Rosa Gomes after back-to-back wins over Cape Verde in the previous international window put them in the driving seat to qualify from Group C.
And the current Jwaneng Galaxy head coach heeded the call from the Botswana Football Association (BFA) and delivered, with 1-1 draws against Mauritania at home and the point at the 30 June Stadium against the record seven-time African champions.
“I need to take the opportunity to thank the players, they usually say coaches make players, and players make coaches,” he said to BeIN Sport.
“I think when you have a group of individuals who are willing to work and die for one mission, everything is possible. They did so well, also the association, they give us the support, and we really appreciate that support.
“I think for the country it’s very important to thank them, the technical team and everyone involved, it’s not an easy journey, we came in here, we knew nobody gave us a chance [in Cairo] against one of the top teams on the continent – but I think we did very well, we had to adjust tactically in the second half to make sure we secure a point.
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“But I think it was purely out of hard work to get the point, I think we also need to give our players credit for, adjusting to tactics and the demands of the game, they were willing to go the extra mile, which is why this generation is going to AFCON 2025.
When probed whether local coaches should be trusted and deliver more than foreign coaches lured to Africa from across Europe, Ramoreboli said understanding the country is important, but gave massive props to the Frenchman for the foundation laid.
“It’s very important that you understand the culture, it makes things easier, you need to understand how these boys think, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and when you draw up tactics, you need to remind them this is what you’re good at,” he said.
“I think also, as much as we celebrate, we need to give coach Da Rosa credit, the mentality I found here was out of this world. These boys were willing to take instructions and to defend well.
“It’s one part I must say, as much as it was not an easy job, how he handled things made it very easy for us, he also deserves credit.
