Young Africans SC have agreed terms with South African coach Fadlu Davids to replace Manqoba Mngqithi, bringing the former Simba SC mentor back to Tanzania, FARPost has established.
FARPost understands that Yanga have settled on Davids after considering their options following Mngqithi’s departure, with an official announcement expected imminently. Former TS Galaxy coach Sead Ramovic was also linked with the position. The agreement revives a pursuit that began before Mngqithi’s appointment in July. Yanga initially held discussions with Davids before eventually handing the reins to his compatriot.
They have now returned for the former Orlando Pirates co-coach, who has been without a club since leaving Moroccan giants Raja Athletic Club in June.
However, the composition of his technical team remains unclear, including whether he will bring his own assistants to Dar es Salaam.
FADLU DAVIDS RETURNS TO TANZANIA WITH TITLE RACE CHALLENGE
Davids will return to familiar territory, having coached Yanga’s fierce rivals Simba between July 2024 and September 2025. During that spell, he guided Simba to the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup final, where they finished runners-up to Moroccan side RS Berkane.
His next assignment will place him on the opposite side of the Kariakoo Derby, with the immediate challenge of closing the gap on a Simba team coached by fellow South African Steve Barker.
Simba hold a five-point advantage over Yanga after 10 league matches. A draw against TRA United and a derby defeat to Simba have left the defending champions playing catch-up.
Mngqithi departed despite recording 10 victories in 13 matches across all competitions, underlining the demands Davids will inherit.
Beyond maintaining Yanga’s domestic dominance, he will also be expected to make an impact in the CAF Champions League group stage. The Jangwani giants are in the same group as Egyptian giants Zamalek, the Algerian side MC Alger and Tunisia’s Club Africain.
YANGA MOVE FOLLOWS LINKS WITH MAS FÈS
Davids was also linked with Moroccan champions MAS Fès after they decided to part ways with Portuguese coach Rui Almeida. However, it is Yanga who have reached an agreement with the South African as they look to move forward after Mngqithi’s brief tenure.
Davids recently told FARPost that managing either of Tanzania’s two biggest clubs requires a personality capable of handling expectations beyond the pitch.
“Yanga and Simba are both big clubs in Tanzania with a huge following, not only in Tanzania but also in Africa. Both clubs have ambitions not only to dominate the Tanzanian league but to star in competitions like the CAF Champions League,” Davids told FARPost.
“Like I said, big clubs on their own, but also need big-personality coaches to be able to manage not only the club but the fans and expectations.”
Having experienced those demands at Simba, Davids is now set to face them from the Yanga dugout.
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