South African-born coach Morena Ramoreboli has addressed the possibility of him taking over the Botswana national team job on a permanent basis.
Ramoreboli, who has managed one game since taking over from Didier Gomes Da Rosa in October, is on the verge of making history by becoming the second coach to take Botswana to the AFCON finals.
The only time The Zebras qualified for Africa’s showpiece was back in 2012 when it was co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Ramoreboli recently took the Botswana post on an interim basis in October after the resignation of Da Rosa with only two games left in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
The tactician’s impressive spell with Jwaneng Galaxy in Botswana led to his appointment as the interim coach of the national team. His task is clear: guide the Zebras to qualification for the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco.
Ramoreboli’s journey as Botswana’s interim coach got off to a mixed start. In his debut match on Friday at home, his side played to a 1-1 draw against Mauritania in a crucial AFCON qualifier. A win would have secured Botswana’s place in the tournament.
Now, the onus is on Ramoreboli to guide Botswana to a positive result against Egypt on Tuesday, November 19th. A draw will be enough to book their spot in the 2025 AFCON. The match is scheduled to kick off at 5:00PM in Cairo.
With one match remaining, Botswana currently sits second in Group C, having accumulated seven points from five games. The team has secured two wins, one draw, and two losses so far.
WHAT MORENA RAMOREBOLI SAID ABOUT THE BOTSWANA COACHING JOB?
The Free State-born mentor says taking the Botswana national team job on a permanent basis is something that hasn’t crossed his mind yet.
At the moment, his primary goal is to take the team to AFCON. Ramoreboli believes that after securing qualification, he can then assess his future with the team.
“To be honest, that one is for the National Executive Committee, the president [Tariq Babitseng] and every stakeholder involved in running football in Botswana to decide,” Ramoreboli told FARPost. “They will say if I am the right person for the job or not.
“If I’m the right person, then I will be given the opportunity to do my best. If not, I will understand that someone better than me is supposed to take over.
“I will continue to support the team and work hard until I reach my goal. But for me, it’s not a priority right now [taking the Botswana job permanently]. Mine is to guide and take the team to AFCON finals in Morocco, then the rest will come afterwards.”
RELATED STORY: Morena Ramoreboli reacts to defending the Botswana Premier League title
