Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has narrated an inspiring story of how he transitioned from being a teacher to becoming one of the most decorated football coaches in the country.
Footballers often hang their boots and pursue a career in coaching, Mngqithi’s story is quite different having been one the few coaches who have never played professional football.
Rulani Mokwena, Morena Ramoreboli and Mngithi makes a short list of South African football managers who found success without being a professional football player.
The 53-year-old’s coaching career began when he was appointed coach of his school’s football team at the start of his teaching profession.
“I was fortunate to be the youngest teacher in the school. I was still playing [football] so the school said, ‘you might as well coach’ and I think those people were very good to me because I didn’t know that this will end up being a career. I was not even aware that there is a career in coaching,” said Mngqithi to Up Back Through Podcast.
Mngqithi’s success with the school’s football team earned him a move to Maritzburg City in the ABC Motsepe League where he served as their assistant coach.
“Thabo Dladla took me to join Maritzburg City as an assistant coach and from there everything just favoured me. In that first year we managed to get promoted to NFD.
Mngqithi continued with his brilliance in lower division teams including Moja United, Wembezi Juventus and University of Natal where his relationship with Lamontville Golden Arrows began. He was identified by the late Rocky Madlala, the co-founder of Arrows who roped him to bolster his technical team.
“I came in as an assistant coach to Khabo Zondo. Three years late I was the head coach of the club, three years late we won the MTN8 and everything started to blossom. I am still very gratefull for what this club did for me.
“It was very difficult, I remember when I became the head coach of this club it was after 15 matches, the club only had 12 points and we were sitting at the bottom of the log. With God’s grace I managed to save a team that everybody thought it was going down (relegated) because we had lost so many matches.
He also had stints at AmaZulu, Chippa United and returned to Arrows before joining Sundowns as an assistant coach where he enjoyed much success including nine league titles, two Carling Knockout Cup then-known as Telkom Knockout, two Nedbank Cup titles, African Football League, MTN8 trophy and the 2016 CAF Champions League.
Despite his abrupt departure from the Brazilians, the KwaZulu-Natal coach remains optimistic that he will land another managerial role in the near future given his successful career.
“I don’t give a damn about what people are saying because I know my capacity. I know I will still get another job, it’s inevitable. It’s something you just can’t stop. I will get another job, and I will do well in that job. I think I’ve won too much (trophies).
“That is the truth when I started coaching, I always wanted to win trophies because how will it be that you are a conquer. But you have never conquered because my name says ‘Manqoba’ I must conquer.” He concluded.