Kaizer Chiefs pressure cooker good for new signing Ditlhokwe: Zebras coach

Thatayaone Ditlhokwe is cut out to be a big success at Kaizer Chiefs.   

That is the view of Botswana national team coach Mogomotsi Mpote who has a long history with the new Amakhosi defender.   

Botswana national team skipper Ditlhokwe, 24, has been roped in by Chiefs after his three-year stay with SuperSport United, having signed a precontract with the Soweto giants at the beginning of the year.

The defender joins Chiefs, the most supported team in Southern Africa, at a time when the side is under enormous pressure, the Soweto giants having gone an unprecedented eight seasons without silverware. 

The pressure that comes from that situation as Chiefs’ expectant supporters' impatience grows ever thinner can make it hard for signings to settle in and play to their true potential in their new Naturena surrounds.

Mpote doesn’t foresee that being a problem for Ditlhokwe, saying the player is familiar with pressure cooker situations. On the contrary, the Zebras coach believes his captain will flourish.   

“He came from a big team [in Botswana], Township Rollers,” Mpote said.   

“So how can you fail to play for a crowd-puller when you are from a crowd-puller in your own country? I don’t think there will be any problems.   

“I’m happy he is playing at Kaizer Chiefs. I think it will improve his game because Kaizer Chiefs is always under pressure and it’s nice to have a player who is always under pressure to deliver.”   

During his first stint as the Botswana coach, Mpote appointed the new Chiefs player as national team captain over senior player Joel Mogorosi of Bloemfontein Celtic fame.    

“I chose him to be the national team captain in 2019 when he was 20 or 21. Him and the boy who is playing in Algeria [Gape Mohutsiwa],” Mpote said.   

“The only senior player then was Joel Mogorosi. You will see it there at Kaizer Chiefs that this boy is a leader.   

“He is one player who is able to control and lead these young boys. He always encourages them.”

Signing for a giant like Chiefs, is not only a big step for Ditlhokwe but his country as well.   

Coach Mpote is an advocate for Botswana players leaving the comforts of their country to play for big teams in better-developed leagues such as the Premier Soccer League, to benefit their national team.   

“We have two players in Morocco, two in Algeria. We expect more players to go and play in Morocco and South Africa, to play for teams such as Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.   

“Wherever there’s a big team we want to have our player playing for them.    

“When we groom them, we try to reinforce their mental strength, the tactical aspects to meet whatever is required at a big team.

“This will also encourage our boys back home — because he [Ditlhokwe] is playing for Kaizer Chiefs, they will also say ‘I want to play for Sundowns, I want to play for Pirates'.”

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