Mandla Ncikazi says leaving Orlando Pirates was about embracing a fresh challenge, returning to a club close to his heart and testing himself again as a head coach.
Mandla Ncikazi has opened up about his decision to leave Orlando Pirates after five years at the Soweto giants, explaining why a return to Golden Arrows was the right move for the next stage of his coaching career.
The experienced tactician is back in KwaZulu-Natal, where he has taken charge of Golden Arrows as head coach after previously guiding the club before joining Pirates in 2021.
Ncikazi believes he accomplished a great deal during his time with the Buccaneers and is grateful for the opportunities and memories he created at the club.
However, rather than remain in a familiar environment, he wanted to challenge himself in a different role and work with younger players at a club he knows well.
Ncikazi explains his Orlando Pirates departure
Reflecting on his time at Pirates, Ncikazi said he left with a sense of gratitude, believing he had achieved many of his professional ambitions during his spell at the club.
“I thought with gratitude, where I’m coming from, I think I achieved everything as a coach. I’m grateful to the big institution and all the memories,” Ncikazi told journalists.
He also thanked the Pirates supporters for the memories they shared during his time at the club.
For Ncikazi, the decision to move on was an opportunity to find a new challenge after experiencing success with one of South Africa’s biggest football institutions.
“I thank the supporters for sharing such memories with them. Then your next phase, after you have won everything, now as a coach, maybe [go for] a different challenge,” he added.
The coach explained that returning to Golden Arrows would allow him to work with young talent while continuing to push himself professionally.
“Let me go back, work with young players, challenge myself. I don’t want to retire as a coach, not having the stress that I have today. I thought it was an opportunity for me when Arrows gave me the opportunity. I said the club is still very close to my heart.”
Golden Arrows remain close to Ncikazi’s heart
Ncikazi’s return to Golden Arrows is more than just another coaching appointment. The club represents an important chapter in his career, and he believes his previous spell there helped establish new standards.
He pointed to the achievements recorded during his earlier tenure, including what he described as the club’s highest-ever league position.
“The highest position that Arrows ever achieved was in my presence. We broke almost lots of records, maybe that crave was still there,” he said.
His comments suggest that he is motivated by the opportunity to build on that previous success and help the club develop further.
Ncikazi faces an immediate test at Arrows
Although the return offers an exciting opportunity, Ncikazi knows he cannot afford to spend too much time settling into his new position.
Golden Arrows have a demanding fixture schedule, with another match scheduled for Tuesday. That leaves the coach with limited time to introduce the tactical and technical changes he wants to make.
He acknowledged that the situation is different from when he first arrived at the club, when he had more time to work with the
