Manqoba Mngqithi’s departure from Mamelodi Sundowns a cause for concern for fans – ‘They should’ve never sacked Rhulani’

by Nomonde Simelane

Despite pulling off a dominant performance locally and internationally, Mamelodi Sundowns fans are concerned about their club’s state following the team’s announcement that it is parting ways with head coach Manqoba Mngqithi.

The news of coach Manqoba’s sacking comes five months after he was appointed as next in line to take over the mad scientist coach Rhulani’s role as head coach. Furthermore, the news comes shortly after the FIFA Club World Cup fixtures were published, revealing who Masandawana will be facing at the highly anticipated upcoming tournament. The club then unveiled the Portugues Miguel Cardoso as Manqoba’s successor.

According to Sundowns fans, coach Manqoba’s appointment as a head coach was a mere attempt at patching a gaping wound with a band aid as the club hoped Manqoba would pick up from where Rhulani left off. This has not been the case, as per the Brazilian’s loyal supporters.

Although his tenure was a short one, Sundowns fans have admitted that this move by the club is not a surprising as Manqoba’s performance has proven to be less than satisfactory, especially when considering the club’s plans to perform well at the Club World Cup.

Sports Broadcaster Andile Ncube along with many fans believe that Manqoba’s departure from Sundowns can be attributed to the failure to fill the shoes of some of the greatest football minds South Africa has witnessed, such as Rhulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela, which he worked under their wing. However, when it was time for him to take on the role, it proved challenging for him as he lacked the scientific-technical knowledge, among other things.

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