“He Comes With Pedigree” – Makhanya On Ncikazi’s Arrows Return
Newly appointed Golden Arrows coach Mandla Ncikazi will officially get his hands dirty on Monday, having observed his side’s 4-0 Carling Knockout Round of 16 thrashing of Chippa United from the stands on Saturday after arriving just 24 hours prior.
Ncikazi placed full trust in assistant coach Ashley Makhanya, who prepared the squad throughout the week before Abafana Bes’thende parted ways with head coach Pitso Dladla on Thursday, as they brushed Chippa aside.
Dladla’s sudden departure came as a major surprise, occurring just a day after he conducted pre-match media duties ahead of the Chippa clash.
Ncikazi—who parted ways with Orlando Pirates amid allegations of a breakdown in his working relationship with head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou—watched from the VIP suite at King Zwelithini Stadium, relaying tactical notes to the bench via the technical analyst.
He witnessed an inspired performance as Arrows swept aside a struggling Chippa side to book their spot in the Carling Knockout quarter-finals.
This marks Ncikazi’s third stint at Abafana Bes’Thende, having previously served as both assistant and head coach. During his previous tenure, he guided the Durban outfit to a historic club-best fourth-place finish in the 2020/21 Betway Premiership before joining Pirates.
Makhanya, who stepped in to lead the side on Saturday, praised Ncikazi’s return, highlighting the wealth of experience he brings after winning a domestic treble with Orlando Pirates last season.
“Coach Mandla is a top, wonderful human being; we are going to learn a lot from him, all of us,” Makhanya said.
“The technical team, the players; he comes with a lot of pedigree. He knows the club, he knows the players, and he knows this area.
“From this performance on Saturday and this result, we are moving forward with a lot of confidence and self-belief for the players, because it is very important that the players now have belief in themselves with this performance and the result.”
Asked about the convincing scoreline after overseeing Arrows’ victory, Makhanya initially responded with a smile.
“I’m doing the job now,” he said with a laugh before turning serious.
“We are in football; I’m a coach. You work, you learn; that’s all it is.
“It is a great opportunity for me to be at Golden Arrows, in this role. It is a great institution; it has produced many players and many coaches. It is fantastic to be here; I’m enjoying my role.
“I learned a lot from coach Pitso. You learn a lot from everyone. Everyone has different experiences; everyone has travelled their own journeys. When you are just humbled and pay attention, you learn a lot from everyone. Nothing will change; I will learn a lot from coach Mandla and learn a lot from players also, and that is the beauty of football.”
With Ncikazi officially taking the reins on Monday, his first assignment in the dugout will be a high-stakes Betway Premiership Durban Derby against AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
