Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach Manqoba Mngqithi has responded to critics who claim he’s reluctant to leave his comfort zone and take on new challenges outside of the club.
Mngqithi, 52, has been with Mamelodi Sundowns since the 2013-14 season when he joined as an assistant to Pitso Mosimane. During his tenure, he has amassed an impressive record, winning 16 major trophies, including eight Premiership titles, the MTN8, two Telkom Knockout Cups, three Nedbank Cups, the CAF Champions League, and the CAF Super Cup.
Despite briefly holding the head coaching role before being demoted to “senior coach” following a series of disappointing results, which led to speculation about his possible departure, Mngqithi has transitioned back into his assistant coaching position seamlessly.
Reportedly approached by Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu at the beginning of the season, he chose to remain at Sundowns, which led to criticism suggesting that he was “afraid” to leave a well-established team for a more challenging opportunity elsewhere.
Mngqithi has now responded to these critics, emphasizing that fans tend to selectively remember the past to suit their particular agendas.
“We live in a country that acknowledges freedom of expression, so any person has a right to say whatever they want to,” Mngqithi said.
“We are also conveniently placed in positions where we can forget whatever we want to and remember what we want to.
“Because if I remember correctly, I have been one of the youngest coaches at some point in the league and there was only one team in KZN during that time, which was Golden Arrows.
“All the other teams were coached by more experienced people and some who were thought to be better than me at the time. But I was able to lead Golden Arrows until I left the club, without any threat of relegation.”
Manqoba Mngqithi, during his time at Golden Arrows, played a key role in developing many young talents in the Arrows Academy, which culminated in their emphatic 6-0 victory over Ajax Cape Town to clinch the 2009 MTN8 trophy.
The former Chippa United and AmaZulu coach emphasized that he isn’t bothered by what people think about him and will continue making decisions in a logical manner.
“So, when I’m at this stage of my career and there’s a person who thinks I’m scared of leaving (Sundowns) and I’m in a comfort zone and all of that, it’s fine for that person to think whatever they are thinking,” Mngqithi said.
“I use my brain, I don’t use my emotions, and I’m sure it’s one of the strengths I have as a human being. I’m not emotional, I look at everything and make my decision when the time is right.”