Manqoba Mngqithi has hit out at suggestions he is “scared to leave” Mamelodi Sundowns.
After working alongside Rulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela as co-coaches at the Brazilians, Mngqithi was demoted to senior coach at the club last season, with Mokwena promoted to sole coach.
While Komphela has since left to take up the head coach role at Swallows, Mngqithi remains part of the Downs technical team.
But it has been said that Mngqithi has let himself down by accepting a lesser role when he could be employed elsewhere.
The former Golden Arrows and AmaZulu boss said in the Citizen: “Your question is loaded. But all I can say is first, we are living in a world where there is freedom of expression and everyone has the right to say what they want.
“Because of luck, we are also conveniently placed in positions where we purposefully forget what we like to forget and remember what we like to remember.
“If you remember very well, I was one of the youngest coaches in the league and only one team at that time in KZN (in the DStv Premiership), it was Golden Arrows.
“All the clubs were coached by more experienced coaches who thought they were better than me then, but they were relegated.
“But I was able to hold Golden Arrows right through until I left the club.”
Mngqithi added: “So, when I’m in this stage of my career people think I’m scared to leave, I’m in the comfort zone and all that. It is fine for someone to think what they think.”