Veteran striker turns back the clock with 28 goals and 40 assists
Having turned out for some of the biggest clubs in the land, including Extension Gunners, Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Jwaneng Galaxy, joining VTM Football Club (FC) might have seemed like a step down for Senatla Ayanda Molefhe.
However, the 30-year-old was a forward possessed last season, terrorising defences in the Kweneng Regional Football Association (KRFA) Division One as he fired VTM to the title.
Turning back the clock with some style, the rejuvenated Serowe-born striker led the frontline expertly, finding the back of the net 28 times to finish as the club’s top scorer. On top of his goal-scoring exploits, Molefhe managed an incredible 40 assists, meaning he was directly involved in 68 of the 93 goals VTM plundered in their 30 league outings.
The seasoned scorer then helped VTM win the Southern Block Promotional Play-Offs, seeing off the quartet of Tlokweng Naughty Boys, Debswana Young Strikers, Mochudi United and UB Hawks to gain promotion to the First Division.
Unsurprisingly, Molefhe’s efforts saw him rewarded with the Player of the Season gong at the team’s prize giving ceremony last Friday.
Despite his exploits on the pitch, in an exclusive interview with Voice Sport, Molefhe admitted he underestimated just how difficult the league would be.
“When I arrived at VTM FC, I thought it was going to be easy but it involved a great deal of hard work. I once played in this level but it was not as competitive then as it is now. I had to find a way to adapt to the intensity,” he conceded.
Adapt, he certainly did!
“You cannot believe that I once had only two goals and one of my teammates had seven goals. But with the effort that I was putting in my game, goals started raining and that made me happy because I love scoring,” grinned the man whose career started at his hometown club, Miscellaneous, many moons ago.
As for his impressive assist tally, the burly striker shrugged it away with a simple explanation.
“Creating goals was not a difficult thing for me because my coach always told me that if, I cannot score, I should create for my teammates, and that is what happened.”
Sure to be on the radar of top flight clubs seeking a proven goal-scorer, Molefhe insists he is not going anywhere even if the big boys do come calling.
“I am committed to VTM FC. The way things are run here is more professional than some of the elite clubs hence I will choose to stay and make history with the club, but you cannot predict what the future holds!”
Although he has no plans of hanging up his boots anytime soon, with his focus firmly fixed on helping VTM survive in the second tier as they look to build towards the Premier League, when he does call it a day, Molefhe hopes to emulate his idol, Chiefs legend, Pontsho Moloi, and take up coaching.
“I love working with kids. I think it would be ideal for me to venture into development coaching when I finally retire from the game,” concludes the man who spent much of his formative years playing table tennis – the defences in Kweneng will be wishing he stayed there!