Mamelodi Sundowns Senior Coach Manqoba Mngqithi is happy to remain at the club ahead of the 2023/24 season despite some interest in his services.
The 53-year-old has been at Sundowns for the past decade since first arriving as assistant coach to Pitso Mosimane after spells at Golden Arrows, AmaZulu, and Chippa United as a head coach in the South African top-flight.
His reputation as a modern attack-minded coach earned him plenty of plaudits, none more so than his MTN8 triumph with Abafana Bes’thende in 2009 when they thumped the now-defunct Ajax Cape Town 6-0 at Orlando Stadium.
After seven years as an assistant, the exit of Mosimane elevated his status as a co-head coach alongside Rulani Mokwena, where they romped to a domestic treble in their first season.
However, in the 2022/23 campaign, in what the club described as an “unconvincing start” to the season, he was redeployed to the role of Senior Coach which sparked speculation that Mngqithi would be open to a new move in the DStv Premiership, but his agent Mike Makaab confirmed that he’ll stay at Chloorkop.
“Yes, it’s a fixed contract until the 30th of June 2024. Yes [he is happy to remain at Sundown] most definitely,” Makaab confirmed to iDiski Times.
Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu have been two names linked with the services of the highly-respected tactician but Makaab poured cold water on suggestions that it’s been anything more serious than informal chats about his potential availability.
“We’ve had a few informal inquiries from clubs, but we have not engaged formally with any club. He is under contract at Mamelodi Sundowns and he’s happy at the football club.
“Unless something drastic happens, then… the first thing I would do is engage the Chairman of Mamelodi Sundowns but as far as we’re concerned, Manqoba is at Mamelodi Sundowns, he is happy to be there and looking forward to the new season.”
Story by Lorenz Kohler (@Lorenz_KO).
