Teboho Setena
The Marumo Gallants are aiming to reach even greater heights in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) after successfully navigating a turbulent 2024-’25 season. The club managed to weather the dreaded relegation storm under Moroccan mentor Abdeslam Ouaddou. He steered the Bahlabane ba Ntwa to finish in tenth position with 32 points in the premiership.
The Gallants needed just a single point to complete the effort, qualifying for next season’s top eight competition. However, the club fell short after playing to a 1 – 1 draw with Magesi in the final premiership league fixture on Saturday, 24 May.
This was a must-win match for the Bloemfontein-based outfit to be counted among the eight top-seeded clubs. Dr Abram Sello, president of the Marumo Gallants,http://marumo gallants holds the strong view that successful navigation of a turbulent season benchmarks for best things to come in the new season of 2025-’26.
This is informed by his introspection of the challenging season.
“I’m happy so far, we are off the hook in terms of relegation,” says Sello.
“We worked so hard to avoid relegation, and the issue we had to deal with was a change in the workmanship in the coaching department. Sometimes it does work and sometimes it does not work; fortunately it worked, because we managed to avoid relegation.
“And yes, I agree, the decision to change in the technical coach was a big gamble and worth taking, but it was very strenuous too. Thank God, we will still be in the premiership to compete.
“We will further rectify and build where necessary to a better team than this season.”
The “change in workmanship” is a reference to enlisting Ouaddou with just ten remaining league matches before the end of the just-ended season. He steered the club ship to safety. The team roped in Ouaddou after simultaneously sacking Dan Malesela and Molefi Ntseki. Malesela started the season as the head coach while Ntseki, had been enlisted as technical director. The latter was roped in with the hope of helping to improve the situation of the Gallants, which was gravely concerning.
The Bahlabane ba Ntwa’s drastic improvement is a seven-match unbeaten streak. The two losses suffered under Ouaddou’s leadership were against vast improved opponents, Sekhukhune United and Stellenbosch: 1 – 2 and 0 – 1, respectively. He attained the impressive record after his team played to a 1 – 1 draw with premiership rookies Magesi.
In truth, relegation would have been catastrophic for Sello in terms of money invested in this ambitious football venture of his. His investment entailed purchasing the Moroka Swallows premiership franchise with contractual obligation – contracts of all the players, debt of the club, injecting money to relocate to the Free State’s capital to start the project, as well as employing technical coaching personnel.
In this turbulent season of their return to the elite rank, the Gallants’ notable highlight is reaching the semifinals of two cup championships: the Carling Black Label Cup and the Nedbank Cup.
The achievements were under former South African-born mentor Malesela and current coach Ouaddou.
A buoyant Sello expressed a great sense of delight about the club’s amazing run in cup competitions, describing this as a bonus. “Ja, this was somehow a surprise, but this was or is one of the best presents the team could give to people of this region, I believe, and to prove that coming to Bloemfontein is not a fluke.
“We pushed to our best level, and to say, we are capable of performing and challenge a cup championship.
“I’m satisfied with what we have managed this season, and let’s take it where we left it next. I’m hopeful the football fraternity will see the best of us in next season,” says Sello, with a great sense of optimism.
Ouaddou is equally delighted with the club’s remarkable improvement shown within three months of taking the reins.
“We can feel so proud of maintaining an unbeatable record, comparing to few months ago, if we analyse our performance,” he says.
“The only disappointment is to drop crucial points in matches that I believe we should have won instead drawing or losing, you know.
“We must congratulate the players for the efforts they have put in to save the club from relegation.”
