Tornado coach laments expulsion

Former Tornado coach Tshepo Motsoeneng has described the club’s expulsion from the Motsepe League as a bitter pill to swallow for soccer lovers.

The outspoken mentor, who led the Mdantsane outfit to two back-to-back victories, was speaking after the SA Football Association’s announcement that the Motsepe League defending champions would no longer be considered as one of the league’s sides.

This follows Tornado’s failure to honour three Motsepe League games, forcing the association to expel the club in terms of rule 28.5 of the Safa competition uniform rules and regulations.

Motsoeneng said Tornado would remain in the local football achieves for the contribution they had made to football development in the province.

“I was not aware that the team is no more. I was still in contact with the Hlomla Nyobo, and we were still talking about where they still needed some help and what can be done to save the team,” said Motsoeneng.

He said he had been in constant communication with deceased owner Siphiwo “Mawawa” Nyobo’s youngest son, Hloma Nyobo, and they had been bouncing around ideas on how they could improve Tornado’s performance this season.

Before the expulsion, Tornado occupied twelfth spot, having played six games with two wins and four losses.

They were knocked out of the lucrative Nedbank Cup by Bush Bucks on penalties after having qualified for the competition last 16 stage on more that one occasion.

“We were sharing ideas on what they could do as a club, whether to compete for the league title now or to build the team for next year.

“So it caught me by surprise when I saw the statement on their social media pages. It’s very sad though but from what I heard it’s challenges of money, and I know it has been difficult for the family so they had to let go of the team because it was not bringing anything to the table.” 

Motsoeneng, once in the books of PSL side Chippa United as assistant to Joe Masutha, has since joined ABC Motsepe League side Mikhado FC in Limpopo.

“They started well this season even though things were tough. They beat strong opponents, and I was proud of their caretaker coach Simphiwe Magongo because he held up really well as coach.

“He was team manager of the club and I was really impressed with all the guys in the team. Even when they were playing Nedbank Cup [playoffs] they just made a mistake that cost them — but that’s football.

“And I think they all held up pretty well and it was sad for me to see them out of the Nedbank. Because I expected them to go all the way.” 

But he conceded that he had never imagined football life without Tornado.

“Me and the chairman (Nyobo) were aiming for one thing only and that was to try to promote that team and even when we were playing the playoffs last season — I felt that there was something missing.

“And that’s not because the players were not gelling or whatever, but there was a missing factor and that was that our chairman — the Mawawa factor — was not there any more.

“After our draw against Mangaung in the Motsepe League playoffs, we though maybe we could still fight but sadly players forgot about the club and started to focus on promoting themselves to other clubs.  

“That was sad to witness because we had just filled up Sisa Dukashe Stadium to play Kaizer Chiefs. With all those things that the club achieved it’s a bitter pill to swallow, really.”