Almost three months after he was booted out of Mamelodi Sundowns despite a good start to the Betway Premiership campaign, Manqoba Mngqithi has sealed a return to where it all started for him.
On Monday, Durban-based Golden Arrows announced on their social media that Mngqithi had returned to the club after leaving them for Sundowns back in 2014.
After leaving Sundowns in December, the 53-year-old was immediately linked with a return to Durban after Mabhuti Khenyeza’s exit, and he was expected to be announced very soon after his sacking. However, he received other offers, including one from Rwandan giants Armée Patriotique Rwandaise FC.
However, due to his emotional connection with Abafana Bes’thende, Mngqithi opted to return to the club that gave him an opportunity in 2007, when he was just 36 years old.
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Mngqithi was previously in charge of Golden Arrows from 2007 to 2010, and again between 2012 and 2013. In 2009, he guided the club to an MTN8 title, where they hammered Ajax Cape Town 6-0 in the final at Orlando Stadium. He was just 38 years old at the time.
That 6-0 win remains the biggest Cup final winning margin in the history of South African football. During the 2008/09 season, the club finished in fifth place finish in the league, which was their best until 2020/21, when they were fourth.
He left Arrows in 2014 to join Sundowns, first as assistant coach, then later as co-coach and head coach.
Mngqithi will hope to call on his experience as Sundowns to inspire Golden Arrows’s revival. The men from Durban currently lie 11th in the league after 16 games. As fate would have it, his first game in charge will be against Sundowns this coming Wednesday.
Sport
