‘This season is about winning,’ says Manqoba Mngqithi amid mounting pressure as he takes helm at Sundowns

BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 28: Nasreddine Nabi head coach for Kaizer Chiefs during the Toyota Cup 2024 match between Kaizer Chiefs FC and Young Africans at Toyota Stadium on July 28, 2024 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo by Charle Lombard/Gallo Images)

By Yanga Sibembe

15 Sep 2024

As the new Premiership season kicks off, the Tshwane giants remain the side to beat, having won the title seven consecutive times.

Mamelodi Sundowns have hogged the Premiership title over the past seven seasons – winning South Africa’s top-flight soccer league a staggering seven times in a row.

The Tshwane giants, who have gripped the Premiership in the way a toddler grips their favourite toy, once again head into a new season as the team to beat. This is despite some technical team reshuffles after the departure of previous head coach Rulani Mokwena at the culmination of last season.

In the new season, Manqoba Mngqithi (53) has been tasked with heading yet another league title defence by the Brazilians. It is a role and responsibility he has earned, having been at Masandawana for more than a decade.

Mngqithi coached teams such as Golden Arrows and AmaZulu before former Sundowns tactician Pitso Mosimane roped in the KwaZulu-Natal-born mentor as an assistant, alongside Mokwena.

While Mokwena spread his wings and went on to coach teams such as Orlando Pirates and Chippa United between 2017 and 2020, Mngqithi remained at Masandawana and waited for his opportunity.

He did ascend to the role of head coach between 2020 and 2022, serving as co-coach with Mokwena after Mosimane’s sudden departure for Al Ahly in Egypt.

However, that setup was shelved and Mokwena was installed as the sole head coach while Mngqithi returned to the role of assistant. With Sundowns and Mokwena parting ways, Mngqithi has been rewarded for his loyalty to the club all these years.

Stepping up

Reports had tipped Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer, Benni McCarthy, for the post after he vacated his position as Manchester United’s striker coach. Nevertheless, the Sundowns hierarchy has opted for continuity by backing Mngqithi.

Mngqithi, whose side was knocked out in the MTN8 semifinals by Stellenbosch, is well aware of the demands of coaching the club.

“People will expect more from Mamelodi Sundowns. This season is about winning. We have the responsibility, the resources and everything that is necessary for us to win,” he said.

“When you are leading the orchestra, try to turn away from the crowd. It’s always important,” said Mngqithi about the early pressure that’s been piled on the side following their MTN8 exit.

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro during an MTN8 semifinal, first-leg match against Cape Town City at Cape Town Stadium on 28 August 2024. (Photo: Shaun Roy / Gallo Images)

Competing on tall fronts

As has been the case for more than a decade, Sundowns will be contesting the CAF Champions League in addition to domestic silverware. They are also part of the expanded Fifa Club World Cup, which is scheduled for mid-2025 in the US.

Masandawana may also have to take part in the second edition of the African Super League after they won the inaugural tournament in 2023, although the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is yet to provide any clarity on when the sophomore version will be held.

Mngqithi believes this schedule will put more pressure on his side.

“What I’ve always wanted to achieve was to create an environment where we create a lot of scoring opportunities. Obviously, we are expected to win a lot of matches in the Premier Soccer League, for a number of reasons,” he said. “But the truth of the matter is our preparations are going to be a little bit difficult this season because we will be preparing for a lot of competitions.”

Sundowns were peerless in the Premiership when DStv was the title sponsor (between 2020 and 2024). They were the only team to win the league during that era. As a result, they will keep the previous version of the league trophy for good.

With Betway coming on as a new sponsor for this season, Mngqithi is confident his side can continue their dominance.

“We have the team and the ammunition to really fight and make sure that we try to win the first [league] trophy. The DStv Premiership started and ended with us. Why not the Betway Premiership as well?” he said.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi watches their Toyota Cup 2024 match against Young Africans in Bloemfontein on 28 July 2024. (Photo: Charle Lombard / Gallo Images)

The challengers

Last season, Pirates and Stellenbosch finished second and third on the Premiership table – a staggering 23 points behind the champions.

Whether they or any of the teams gunning for Masandawana can narrow the gap will be down to one key factor: consistency.

Last season, on their way to losing just one match out of 30 in the league, Sundowns won their first 14 games. As other teams struggled to find their rhythm, the Brazilians already seemed destined to win the league at the halfway point of the season.

It is unlikely that they will replicate the belligerence of the previous campaign. Nevertheless, if teams such as Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United do not drastically improve how they perform during the marathon league campaign, they will find themselves battling for second spot yet again.

From that list of contenders, it is the Sea Robbers who are best placed to displace Sundowns. Pirates have an extremely strong squad boasting depth and quality.

In José Riveiro they also have an exceptional coach who will be in charge for a third season. Even though the Buccaneers have struggled to keep up with Sundowns in the league, they have won four domestic knockout trophies in two seasons. All they need is to transfer that winning spirit to the league.

As for Chiefs, despite recruiting highly rated Tunisian tactician Nasreddine Nabi, it would be a massive leap for them to move from the lowly 10th spot they managed last season to challenging for the league.

Nabi pointed out recently that the first task he and his technical team have is ensuring Amakhosi regain their competitive spirit.

“I don’t have any magic potion to take Kaizer Chiefs to where they used to be, but I am here to do my very best to get the club back to where it belongs, at the top,” he said.

“My mission is to bring the glory days back to Kaizer Chiefs. I cannot make promises on results, but I can promise that I will do everything I possibly can to do well this season.”

There will also be much focus on Stellenbosch after they finished third last season, their highest league position in what was their fifth top-flight campaign. Will they be able to build on their outstanding showing?

Cape Town Spurs, who were relegated to the second tier last season, have been replaced by Limpopo-based Magesi after the latter clinched the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

Soweto side Moroka Swallows have once again fallen off the South African soccer grid after financial struggles forced the club to sell its top-flight status at the conclusion of the previous campaign. Marumo Gallants have replaced them for the new season. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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South Africa

Stepping up

Competing on tall fronts

The challengers