With four teams who have qualified for the CAF Champions League group stages having South Africans in charge, Mamelodi Sundowns co-head coach Manqoba Mngqithi says it’s exciting news for local football.
Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena led Sundowns into the group stage, winning 4-2 on aggregate against AS Maniema on Sunday, and as expected Pitso Mosimane guided defending champions Al Ahly through.
But there are also two ‘newcomers’ to the CAFCL group stages, with Benni McCarthy in charge at AmaZulu, while Morena Ramoreboli is in charge at Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy.
Galaxy shocked Simba 3-1 in Tanzania on Sunday to overturn a 2-0 deficit and qualify, and this result specifically impressed Mngqithi.
Mngqithi gave his views when asked by Rob Delport of iDiski Times during Sunday’s post match presser
“It’s exciting to have so many teams competing in this intercontinental competitions,” Mngqithi answered.
“And most of them being coached by South Africans, that on its own it’s encouraging and to have the Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy also being coached by one of our own and managing to pull it through in Tanzania against Simba, for me that was a big one.
“And we need to really congratulate our coaches when they are doing well.
“So I think there is a significant improvement in the game, from our South African coaches and it’s just maybe a wish that one would have that most of our club bosses can start looking around before they go out and look for imports, because I believe we’ve got so many other coaches that at the moment are currently jobless, are working in smaller teams, but they need an opportunity at the highest level.
“Because even in the league it shows how many South African coaches are doing well in that space as we speak.”
