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I thought it was a curse

Soccer Laduma

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June 12, 2025

Motebang Sera's career suffered a huge setback this past season while on the verge of a milestone of earning a century of appearances for Royal AM, who were expelled from the PSL following the long-standing financial issues that brought the league into disrepute and disrupted fixtures.

The off-the-field problems that marred the Shauwn Mkhize-owned club opened old wounds with Sera, who was part of the Bloemfontein Celtic side that was sold, renamed and relocated to KZN in 2021. However, Sera has put the setback behind him as he looks forward to the new chapter of his career after penning a two-year deal with Chippa United. In this interview with Soccer Laduma's Mikia Kalati, the 30-year-old forward pours his heart out and reveals that he was contemplating hanging up his boots after “Thwihli Thwahla” were kicked out of the Betway Premiership.

Mikia Kalati: Motebang, we appreciate you making time to talk to Soccer Laduma after a very difficult season for you and your teammates at Royal Am which led to the expulsion of the club from the PSL.

Motebang Sera: It was a very painful period in my career, which got me contemplating my future in football. I can only speak for myself, but I know my teammates were hurting too. It was worse for me because I went through a similar experience at Bloemfontein Celtic when the club was sold. With all that happened at Royal AM, I thought it was a curse. I kept asking myself questions, why is it happening to me because I think I was one of a few surviving members from the Celtic squad who were still in the Royal AM squad. I was thinking witchcraft and all those sorts of things, but I talked to my agent, and he told me that these kinds of things happen in football. He encouraged me to make sure that the next move I make, is to join a team where there is stability and it's not a team that will experience similar problems to those that I have encountered at my two previous clubs. It will have to be a team that is solid on and off the field. What happened at Royal AM broke me. I was even thinking of going back home to Lesotho to play there based on what happened at Celtic in the past and now at Royal AM.

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