Ex-Upington City FC coach Thulani Nkosi has sent a message to his “haters” after guiding another SAFA Northern Cape side to the ABC Motsepe League National Playoffs.
Nkosi previously helped Upington City to win the 2022/23 Motsepe National Playoffs when they beat Orbit College FC 3-1 in the final.
As a result, the Upington-based outfit was promoted to the Motsepe Foundation Championship. However, coach Nkosi stepped down from his role as the club’s coach in December 2024 following an inconsistent run of results.
Nkosi left Upington City in 11th place in the Motsepe Foundation Championship standings with 16 points from 13 matches, registering four victories, four draws, and five losses.
He was then succeeded by coach Brandon Truter, who re-joined Upington City after he cut ties with the Betway Premiership side Richards Bay FC. Truter had previously served as a senior coach at the club before he was roped in by the Natal Rich Boyz.
Over the weekend, Nkosi guided Kalamas Juventus to the SA third-tier national playoffs after the team was crowned the overall winners of the Northern Cape Motsepe League.
Juventus triumphed over Kimberley Saints 1-0 in their opening match of the Northern Cape Provincial Playoffs and later won against NC Professionals 2-1 in the second game held on Sunday, 4 May, at Mxolisi Dicky Stadium in Upington.
The former PSL coach, Nkosi, only joined Juventus in January this year.
WHAT THULANI NKOSI SAID TO HIS DOUBTERS AND HATERS
Nkosi stressed that qualifying for the national playoffs with Juventus would deliver a strong message to his “doubters and haters” as he allowed God to fight his battles on his behalf.
“Well, my message is one thing, but it’s going to sound otherwise. So, I think this is the message to the doubters and haters,” said Nkosi in an interview with Keaoleboga Kenneth and Boingotlo Ngozo on Facebook.
“I said it before when we qualified last time that my battles are fought by one person, and that is the man from above [God].
“I like it when everybody says I’m fighting against everyone because it gives God the anger to respond and say, ‘Who are you fighting? You’re fighting someone who doesn’t like fights’.”
COACH THULANI NKOSI ON HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO MAINTAIN TOP SPOT
Nkosi further revealed that it wasn’t easy to maintain their top spot to qualify for the provincial playoffs due to internal problems, yet they succeeded despite the difficulties.
“It was really difficult, you know. There were internal issues. I think you saw how many games we drew. When I came here, we only won one game, and there were countless draws. But let’s leave it there,” he added.
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