Prosport International CEO Mike Makaab has explained why Manqoba Mngqithi chose to join Golden Arrows despite receiving other offers.
Mngqithi joined Arrows after being unattached for a few months since parting ways with the reigning Betway Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns. The 52-year-old is returning to the KZN-based side for his third stint, looking to help the club climb up the table.
Golden Arrows have been struggling to find a consistent winning form since the start of the 2024/25 season. Abafana Bes’thende are occupying the 11th spot on the league table with 20 points after 16 games.
Mngqithi gained prominence in SA’s top-flight with Arrows between 2007 and 2010. During that period, the experienced coach won the 2008 MTN8 trophy with the club beating Ajax Cape Town in the final.
But two years later, in 2010, Manqoba Mngqithi left Arrows to have short stints with Chippa United and AmaZulu FC. However, he returned to the Mato Madlala-owned team in 2012.
The highly-rated mentor left Arrows again the following year to take a role as an assistant coach at Sundowns under Pitso Mosimane.
Mngqithi spent over a decade with Sundowns and served in different roles, including a sole coach in the current campaign, before he was fired.
WHAT DID MIKE MAKAAB SAY ABOUT MANQOBA MNGQITHI MOVING TO Arrows?
In his time on the sidelines, Mngqithi was reportedly on the wishlist of a handful of teams before reuniting with Arrows.
His agent, Mike Makaab, has explained that Mngqithi went to Arrows because of his good relationship with club owner Mato Madlala.
“Manqoba Mngqithi joined Golden Arrows because of his relationship and understanding with the owner Mrs Mato Madlala,” Makaab told FARPost.
“And also the project at Arrows is making sense to the coach; that’s why we chose Golden, and there are two coaches at Arrows [Musa Bilankulu and Kagisho Dikgacoi] with huge potential. They are going to benefit from the experience of coach Manqoba.
“There was interest in the coach. But obviously I can’t say which teams were interested, but I can tell you that there was a team in Egypt that showed serious interest.”
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