Williams ‘can’t question’ Mngqithi firing – ‘It is not easy’

In the last couple of months, defending Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns have experienced changes in the technical team.

Coach Rulani Mokwena was dismissed in July after reportedly falling out with Flemming Berg who is the club’s Sporting Director. Manqoba Mngqithi was given the mandate to steer the team forward but he struggled to deliver.

The 53-year-old former AmaZulu and Golden Arrows tactician was dismissed alongside Romain Folz who had joined Masandawana alongside Steve Komphela who had been brought back after leaving at the beginning of the 2023/24 season for Moroka Swallows and later Golden Arrows.

Komphela and goalkeeping trainer Kennedy Mweene were retained by new man Miguel Cardoso who came with his team.

‘It is not easy to lose a family member’

“Obviously it’s not easy [to lose coaches], it’s difficult because we get attached and at Sundowns, the first thing is the brotherhood and the family, we want that family orientation and when we lose certain family members, it’s not easy,” the Bafana Bafana captain stated.

“But being in the sporting world, in football, it’s our job and we need to be professional, the guys have taken; in the beginning it was tough but the guys know, that they have a job to do and that’s for Mamelodi Sundowns to be at the best level possible each and every day.

“We can’t question the decisions, we just have to do what we can, which is play football, be the best and take Sundowns up to the level that it should be.”

Cardoso’s first assignment will be on Sunday in the Caf Champions League Group B game against Raja Casablanca at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.