Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Humphrey Mlwane has lifted the lid on the key factors behind his unexpected exit from SAFA KwaZulu-Natal ABC Motsepe League side Njampela FC before taking charge of a single official match.
The ex-The Bees FC mentor joined Njampela in July ahead of the upcoming 2026/27 campaign, following his departure from Eswatini Premier League outfit Tabankulu Celtic FC. Mlwane had guided Tabankulu to a ninth-place finish with 41 points last term after taking over on a short-term deal in February.
At Njampela, Mlwane was appointed alongside assistant coach Lupini Miphy Guycha to succeed Tshepo Motsoeneng, who departed for arch-rivals Umvoti FC.
Njampela finished second in Stream A last season with 56 points—just three shy of stream winners Umvoti—and were aiming to go one better this term.
However, Mlwane’s stint has ended abruptly before the new season could start.
THE REASONS WHY HUMPHREY MLWANE LEFT NJAMPELA FC
Speaking to FARPost, the former Amakhosi midfielder explained that fundamental disagreements over coaching methods, communication, and playing tactics made it impossible to continue.
“My stay at the club was not pleasant, you know. But what can we say? It’s football. They spoke about three things that we could not agree on,” Mlwane told FARPost in an exclusive interview.
“The first one is the style of play. They want to play nice, slow football, while my style is direct, winning football, you understand? So, we could not find common ground on that basis.
“Another thing they spoke about is being advisable. They said I’m not advisable, which means that I’m arrogant, if I may put it that way. You know, if you say someone is not advisable, it implies that I’m arrogant.”
HUMPHREY MLWANE’S PLAYER MANAGEMENT AND COACHING TONE
The third issue centered on his firm management style and high expectations during training and match preparation.
“The third issue is that I’m too harsh with the players. This means they wanted a soft coach who has a gentle voice when addressing them,” Mlwane stated.
“For me, I believe that you cannot be soft in that environment [coaching in the ABC Motsepe League]. However, I wasn’t that harsh; remember, the club wanted results from me, and I had to seek those results from the players and push them.”
‘COACHES HAVE DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES’: HUMPHREY MLWANE
Mlwane leaves Njampela having only overseen pre-season friendlies, including a 1-0 victory over FC Ravens in his final match on the bench.
“So, because of those three factors, we could not progress further in terms of our relationship,” Mlwane added. “The last friendly was against FC Ravens, where we won 1-0, but for them, it was not enough.
“However, it’s part of the game. If they want to play the way they are used to, it means they have to find someone who fits into their system. Coaches have different philosophies and cultures.
“At The Bees, when I first came, the previous season they were in position 11. The following season, we came in, changed things, and altered the style of play, and we achieved position one. That means the plan worked for us, and I wouldn’t change something that’s working for me.”
RELATED STORY: Humphrey Mlwane to challenge SAFA arbitration ruling in The Bees settlement dispute
