Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has revealed that he was shocked when he first heard about the changes in the technical team and revealed he penned a four-year deal.
Mngqithi took over as coach at Sundowns following the dismissal of Rulani Mokwena, although Sundowns never confirmed his new role.
The former co-coach has now opened up on how he experienced the situation, admitting it took him by massive surprise.
“I knew that there is 99% chance that I’d still be at Sundowns, because they’ve been very good to me – in a number of ways, taking care of me and my family,” he said on PowerFM Sport.
“In life sometimes you have to reciprocate, when people are being good to you can’t be a monster and jump at any given opportunity that comes your way.
“But the truth of the matter is I never anticipated this. I’d prefer not to divulge was what happened, I prefer not to say exactly what happened because it was just the biggest surprise and coincidence in some way.
“And very close to the start of the preparations, everybody was in that space, [not knowing] what really happened.
“But in life we must always move on and accept the decisions of those who pay our salaries because sometimes people want to blame particular individuals when decisions are taken but the truth of the matter is that is undermining the owner of the club, that is undermining the family that runs so many successful businesses.
“If a decision was taken at Sundowns, we want to say somebody was taking the decision and not the people who pay our salaries and the truth of the matter is we have to respect their decision, sometimes we may not like them but it’s their decision.”
Mngqithi then confirmed he was close to agreeing a new deal as assistant before the situation changed at the last minute and he was asked to step up.
“I never got that call,” he continued.
“I was in the middle or towards the end of my negotiations about my contract, probably completely different to what happened, and maybe there was just a change of fortunes within those negotiations because the negotiations were at a very advanced stage at that time.
“When the club says, can you do this for now. And I did it for then.”
Finally, Mngqithi confirmed that he penned a new four-year deal at Chloorkip.
“I’ve just signed a contract and I’m committed to the course. I think it’s four years,” he added.
