Former Orlando Pirates development coach Mandla Qhogi has disclosed his mandate at Eswatini champions Nsingizini Hotspurs FC.
Qhogi took over the coaching reins at Nsingizini at the end of May this year. This came after he cut ties with the Motsepe Foundation Championship side Milford FC in the last campaign.
In his first three months in charge of the Eswatini club, he won his first major trophy, the 8Bet Trade Fair Cup.
His impressive results at Nsingizini send a strong message to his rivals, showcasing what he is capable of doing at the helm.
MANDLA QHOGI’S MANDATES AT NSINGIZINI HOTSPURS FC
Qhogi revealed that his given mandates at Nsingizini are to defend the league title, win a domestic cup, and guide the club to at least the CAF Champions League group stage.
As things stand, Qhogi is on the right track, having won his first title in Eswatini and led the side to the Second Preliminary Stage of the Champions League so far.
“Well, knowing that the club I took over is the champion of the league, what they want is to make sure that we defend the title,” Qhogi told FARPost.
“Another goal is to ensure that we win one or two domestic cups. Additionally, we aim to progress to the next stage of the CAF Champions League, whether it’s the Second Preliminary Stage or the group stage of the competition.”
MANDLA QHOGI ACKNOWLEDGES FEELING UNDER PRESSURE TO DEFEND THE LEAGUE
Qhogi went on to acknowledge that he feels under pressure to defend the league title, but stated that it’s a good pressure that motivates him to work even harder to achieve the club’s goals in the 2025/26 season.
“But you know, pressure is always present in football; it is how you cope under that pressure that matters. For me, coming from South Africa, especially from a club like Orlando Pirates where pressure was always present, it is about how you sustain yourself to ensure that you work well under these circumstances of pressure,” he added.
“The feeling of being under pressure also motivates me to keep working hard, together with the technical team, the players, the president of the club, and the officials, in order to defend the title.”
The club had a mammoth task over the weekend as they needed to come back from a 3-0 deficit against the Tanzanian giants Simba SC in the second leg of their Champions League Second Preliminary Round away from home. However, it was never meant to be, as the game ended in a 0-0 draw, which saw Simba progress to the Champions League group stage with a 3-0 scoreline on aggregate.
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