Prosport International CEO Mike Makaab has addressed swirling rumours linking Manqoba Mngqithi to Kaizer Chiefs following the veteran tactician’s recent departure from Tanzanian heavyweights Young Africans SC.
Mngqithi abruptly parted ways with the Dar es Salaam-based giants after taking over the coaching reins with lofty expectations of guiding the club to major continental honours, including the CAF Champions League.
The seasoned mentor enjoyed a flying start to his tenure with Young Africans, clinching the Tanzanian Community Shield via a 1-0 victory over bitter rivals Simba SC in August 2026.
During his brief spell at Yanga, Mngqithi oversaw 13 matches across all competitions, registering an impressive 10 wins, two draws, and just one defeat. Under the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach, the side netted 29 goals while conceding only seven times.
Despite that dominant start to life in East Africa, Mngqithi unexpectedly exited Young Africans after just three months in the hot seat. Shortly after his departure from the reigning Tanzanian Premier League champions, reports emerged linking the highly rated coach with a sensational move to Naturena.
The speculation has been fuelled by Amakhosi’s turbulent start to the 2026/27 campaign under head coach Fernando Da Cruz, who has already missed out on the MTN8 and suffered an early exit in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary rounds.
Those early-season setbacks have prompted frustrated sections of the Amakhosi faithful to call for Da Cruz’s dismissal. However, Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr has publicly reaffirmed the club’s backing for the French tactician.
‘IT’S DISRESPECTFUL TO THE CURRENT TECHNICAL TEAM AT CHIEFS’ – MAKAAB
Now, Mngqithi’s representative, Mike Makaab, has firmly dismissed the links, warning that such unsubstantiated speculation undermines the current technical bench at the Soweto giants.
“It’s not true [that Chiefs want to bring in Mngqithi as head coach], and it’s unfair to the current technical staff. You know rumours like this can cause a lot of problems,” Makaab told FARPost.
“Coach Manqoba is a top football coach with great experience, and there will always be rumours, but I can tell you that no formal approach has been made by Kaizer Chiefs.”
Prior to his stint in Tanzania with Young Africans, Mngqithi enjoyed a successful spell back at Golden Arrows during the previous campaign, guiding the KwaZulu-Natal outfit to a respectable top-eight finish on the Betway Premiership table.
Meanwhile, the 55-year-old also boasts a trophy-laden chapter with Sundowns spanning over a decade, where he served in various technical capacities and famously lifted the CAF Champions League title in 2016 as assistant coach to Pitso Mosimane.
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