If home was a football club, it would be AmaZulu FC for Manqoba Mngqithi.

Image: Mamelodi Sundowns Social Media. 

The Folz hopes raised by Romain's appointment at AmaZulu earlier in the season have turned into nothing but a pipe dream.

The 32-year-old French tactician was recently relieved of his head coaching duties at Usuthu, redeployed as a technical advisor, with former striker, and Folz's assistant, appointed as the club's interim coach until the end of the season.

With Folz out of the picture, sort of,  and Usuthu probably looking for a suitable replacement, there is a coach who might just be what the doctor ordered for the KZN side, and that is non other than Mamelodi Sundowns third assistant, Manqoba Mngithi.

Mngqithi's contract with Downs will be over in May, meaning the experienced mentor might be open to a new challenge.

Having spent most of his time at the Brazilians under the shadow of Pitso Mosimane, and currently under Rulani Mokwena, Mngqithi might relish an opportunity to finally stand on his own two feet once again.

But what would be the pros and cons of Mngqithi joining Usuthu?

The pros...

Besides the obvious fact as stated above, that of Mngqithi getting an opportunity to blaze his own trail at Usuthu, there is more to the possible union.

Sandile Zungu has proven beyond any reasonable doubt his ambition to take Usuthu to the dizzying heights of South African football.

With Mngqithi's years of experience and knowledge of the game, Zungu's ambitions would have more chances to see the light of day than not.

Having spent years at Sundowns, a team that has been dominant in the local game, Mngqithi has learned enough to help realize Zungu's vision for AmaZulu.

On top of the above mentioned, Mngqithi is a proponent of good football, something that can help in turning the pride of KZN into an attractive side to watch, bringing more fans to the stadium.

Lastly, the experienced mentor is known to be some kind of a strict disciplinarian.

With rumors of Folz losing the dressing room, which ultimately led to his redeployment, Mngqithi is the man who can get the Usuthu house back in order, without much of a hassle.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-mamelodi-sundowns-can-expect-from.html?m=1

And the cons....

Sundowns are a dream to be part of at the moment for any coach, even as an assistant.

With the trail blazing club flexing their muscle both locally and the continent, Mngqithi might be tempted to stay on and continue to be part of the history making Brazilians.

Job security and a positive working environment are hard to come by in the world of football, and that is exactly what Mngqithi has at Downs.

Leaving for AmaZulu might come with obvious risks involved with joining a new club, like things not working out and the former teacher finding himself in the growing pool of unemployed coaches.

Is he willing to take that risk? Only the end of May will tell. But Mngqithi and AmaZulu do look like a match made in a football heaven. 

What Mamelodi Sundowns can expect from CR Belouizdad.

Mamelodi Sundowns guard of honor against against Cape Town City. Image credit: Mamelodi Sundowns Twitter. 

Mamelodi Sundowns will play CR Belouizdad in the Caf Champions League quarterfinals, with the first leg encounter set to take place in Algeria on the 21st of April, before Downs host the Algerian log leaders on the 28th of April.

Downs head coach, Rulani Mokwena recently revealed to the media that they had already sent out their analysts out to the continent to gather some intelligence on their possible CAFCL opponents, meaning the Brazilians should already know what to expect from the Algerian outfit.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-prophet-will-never-be-celebrated-at.html?m=1

But what exactly is CR Belouizdad capable of?

The Great Chabab, as Belouizdad are known back in Algeria, are currently log leaders in their domestic league after 16 matches played.

Like Sundowns, they have a thing for long unbeaten runs, as they are yet to lose a match, with 12 wins and four draws so far.

The Great Chabab are an attacking side with an average of 52% possession per game in their domestic league.

Not only are they good at keeping the ball, they know how to turn possession into valuable goal scoring opportunities, with their expected goals average standing at 2.11 per game, slightly higher than Downs' domestic average of 1.86.

Belouizdad are ruthless too when it comes to converting the opportunities they create, with an average of 1.75 goals scored per match according to FootyStats.

Defensively, they are a solid side, letting in an average of 0.50 goals per match.

When it comes to the CAFCL, where they finished second in Group D, behind ES Tunis with 10 points, The Great Chabab proved to be no impostors either.

They managed to beat Egyptian giants, Zamalek home and away.

What is impressive about them is their ability to adapt to different match conditions, when playing away, they concede possession and look to play on the counter, which is to be expected, but the most interesting thing is how they do it with great efficiency.

For example, against Zamalek in Egypt, a game they won 1-0, they enjoyed only 45% of the ball, while Zamalek had more attempts on goal with 12, compared to Belouizdad's 10, it was the Algerian outfit who created the best opportunities, with three shots on target to Zamalek's two.

In their 2-0 home win, Belouizdad took full control, enjoying 62% of the ball, while fashioning 15 attempts on goal, with four on target.

Downs can expect a team that is well versed on the art of Champions League football, which means they must be prepared for a fight and a half in their bid to progress to the semi-finals.

A prophet will never be celebrated at home - Says Rulani Mokwena.

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Rulani Mokwena. Image credit: Twitter. 

Mamelodi Sundowns are yet to taste defeat in over 20 games across all competitions under the tutelage of Rulani Mokwena.

The Brazilians wrapped their sixth league title with seven matches to spare, while they are still in the running for the Nedbank Cup and the Caf Champions League.

Downs' success under Mokwena has come on the back of some quality, cutting edge football on the pitch, the type of football one can expect to see from teams coached by the one and only Pep Guardiola.

While Mokwena has earned respect from across the African continent, especially in the hard-to-please North African football sphere, where he is already a subject of speculation concerning joining some of their best clubs, at home he is still a subject of ridicule.

His 'failure' at Orlando Pirates and Chippa United is still thrown in with regular abandon in conversations about the 36-year-old tactician.

If it is not the Pirates and Chippa story, his short term success is attributed to the team's financial muscle, and the quality of the players at his disposal, and not to his tactical acumen.

Fortunately, Mokwena has never been the one to blow his own horn, he has always emphasized how the game belongs to the players.

But, when all is said and done, what is more important is that Mokwena is well aware of the fact that one is never really appreciated enough at home, which is the unfortunate part of South African football when it comes to our coaches.

"My refraining from getting too much into that space is because the game of football is a team sport and I believe the game of football belongs to the players. I stay true to that," said Mokwena as quoted by Times Live.

"We as coaches, our jobs are to support and give some form of preparation and assistance to the players and try to help them with their performances. I genuinely believe this.   

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-three-year-contract-extension-might.html?m=1

"I’d rather not go there because South Africa is a very difficult country, but I guess — and I’ve used this quote before — a prophet will never be celebrated at home.  

"That’s why when people send me things, I’m not surprised that a lot of the write-ups about this team, the coaching and the details actually come from Europe. It's from foreign people rather than from South Africa. So why should I go into that space? It's not for me."

A three-year contract extension might have given Romain a Folz sense of job security.

 

Former AmaZulu head coach, now Technical Advisor, Romain Folz. Image: Twitter.

Just a week or two after AmaZulu FC Chairman, Sandile Zungu backed underperforming Romain Folz in the media, saying the coach was not going anywhere, it seems Zungu has had enough of the poor results, and decided to appoint Ayanda Dlamini as interim coach until the end of the season, with Folz assuming the role of technical advisor, not to the coach, it must be clarified, but technical advisor to the Chairman!

“The game is result driven and with six matches to go occupying 12th position, it is clear the performance is not fitting of a club like AmaZulu Football Club,” read part of AmaZulu’s official statement.

“The decision we have taken is to appoint Ayanda Dlamini as caretaker Coach until the end of the season. His mandate is to fight for the remaining 18 points that are on offer.

“Dlamini has the huge task to prepare the team for the upcoming match against Cape Town City this weekend.

“With Folz, there are many aspects that we want to continue with from him. I have retained him as a technical director, primarily to advise the President on the technical aspects of vision 2032 until the end of the season.”

Folz, who never really hit the ground running at Usuthu, vacates the coaching seat with the club sitting 12^th on the Dstv Premiership table with 28 points from 24 matches.

AmaZulu have won only two of their last 10 league games, a 4-0 win against Kaizer Chiefs, which was seen as a sign of rejuvenation for the Durban side, and a 2-0 victory over Chippa United. Other than that, Folz guided Usuthu to four losses and four draws.

Despite a good defensive record, with an average of 0.92 goals concede per match in the league, it is in attack that the club has struggled, they average 0.92 goals scored per match, which has seen them finding the back of the net only eleven times in their last 10 matches. The fact that AmaZulu have failed to score in 42% of their league games is a huge red flag, which comes from their inability to create good scoring opportunities, with an average xGF of 1.10 per match, according to FootyStats.Org.https://footystats.org/clubs/amazulu-fc-1279 

In a nutshell, nothing warranted keeping Folz as the head coach of the club, and it will be interesting to see how the players react to the coaching changes. With a positive response, Usuthu can find themselves inside the top eight come the end of the season.

 

Khanye impressed by Zwane.

                                                                      Image: Twitter

It takes special talent to impress former Kaizer Chiefs winger, Junior Khanye, who is now a football analyst at iDiski TV, and Samkelo Zwane is something special.

Speaking after Amakhosi’s 2-1 win over Stellenbosch last weekend, Khanye could not stop raving about Zwane’s man of the match performance, going as far as comparing the 21-year-old to Andile Jali.

Zwane has appeared eight times for Chiefs this season, playing the full 90 minutes against Maritzburg United and Stellenbosch FC. He looks like a player who can give the team a different dimension in midfield, a different dynamic from what Yusuf Maart and Siyethemba Sithebe can offer.

“Between him and [Junior] Mendieta, Zwane is my Man of the Match because today Zwane was playing more as a box-to-box player,” said Khanye as quoted by iDiski Times. Khanye Compares Chiefs Starlet To Jali - iDiski Times

“You can’t make him a defensive midfielder because he knows how to combine better than when [Yusuf] Maart and [Siyethemba] Sithebe are in that position. He knows how to make the team gel.

“He kind of reminds me of Andile Jali, although Jali is obviously better and more experienced.

“I think Kaizer Chiefs have to understand that Zwane is not a defensive midfielder. He is not strong in defence but can help the team going forward.

“Sithebe can’t get out of sticky situations and he can’t even call for the ball. But the boy can call for the ball and he is more skilful. He knows how to hit a forward pass. His energy reminds me of Jali when he arrived at [Orlando] Pirates. Well he will never be in that class but he’s got potential to become one of the best.

“He can play forward and when the ball is on the right maybe on [Dillon] Solomon’s feet, he knows how to create a triangle and open in the middle. He had two options to either play on the line or play from where it came from.

“He is also able to protect the ball so he is a very good ball player and he is able to screen before he receives it. He knows football and today he gave Kaizer Chiefs balance so they could play, and I think the understanding he has with Mdu [Shabalala] is wonderful.” 

 

 

Attention to detail, according to Rulani Mokwena, is a way of life at Sundowns.

 

                                                      Image credit: iDiski Times Twitter

Paying attention to detail, it seems, has been a way of life at Mamelodi Sundowns, since the days of Pitso Mosimane, if Rulani Mokwena’s comments are anything to go by.

Making full use of advancements in modern football has seen Sundowns become a dominant force, without any peers in South African football, having already wrapped up the league, their sixth title in a row, with seven matches still to play.

Top teams around the world; make use of performance analysts, including video and data analysts, and scientists to break down small details about their opponents, as well as their own performances to help them gain an advantage over their rivals.

With football fast become a game of small margins when it comes to the gap between big and small teams, as Morocco showed the world during Qatar 2022, small details have become the difference between winning or losing a game, it is in that spirit that Sundowns have been slowly building their success both in local and continental football.

By the time the Brazilians discover their Caf Champions League quarterfinal opponents on Wednesday 05 April, they will already know what to expect from them.

"It's just the culture of the club. It's the culture that was created before I was appointed, and it's one that I have a responsibility to try and carry on," said Mokwena as quoted by SABC Sport. Football, Cricket, and All Sports Latest News - SABC Sport

"We are a team that believes in excellence, but that is only bred through preparation and consistency, so delegating four of our analysts to travel, go, and scout and assess the Champions League opponents is just something that was done even prior to my appointment as head coach.

"It's something that has helped the club achieve good results in the past in the Champions League, so our responsibility is to try and continue that way.

"As I said, it's just a Sundowns culture and it would be ill of me to take credit for that.

 "We have four analysts out at the Raja [Casablanca] game yesterday [Saturday], Wydad... From the top of my head, I can't give you the exact matches but I know they'll give me documentation of six of the eight quarterfinalists.”

Mokwena on comparisons between the current Downs side and the class of 2016:

"It's a group that has to be given fair opportunities to be able to make their own mark and write their own history, and create their own legacy in the club," he defended.

"And just like the squad that delivered the Champions League [in 2016], before delivering the trophy, I can remember how many times we tried and eventually, even when we did win the Champions League – if you remember, we were eliminated.

"So, you had to be fair to that group, and you have to be fair to this group, and give them its fair amount of support and chance to be able to live its own football story. 

"I strongly believe this team and group of players eventually will win the Champions League. When will it happen? I can't play God, but I know that every single day we work towards this objective."

We want to represent Pirates in Africa next season...badly - Says Riveiro.

 

                                                              Image credit: Twitter

In the beginning of the season, Orlando Pirates were tipped as the team to finally give Mamelodi Sundowns a good run for their money when it comes to the league title.

Despite succeeding in wrestling the MTN8 trophy away from the Brazilians, Pirates fell short in the league race, with Sundowns already crowned Dstv Premiership champions, with seven matches to spare.

The inability to consistently find the back of the net was Amabhakaniya’s biggest let down in the title race this season, which led to them losing or drawing games they should have comfortably won to put pressure on Sundowns.

Lately though, Pirates seem to have found their scoring boots, as they stage a serious assault for the Caf Champions League spot, they are currently second on the log with 40 points, tied with SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs, but ahead on account of their better goal difference.

Their head coach, Jose Riveiro, is impressed with the improvements his side have shown, especially in the second half of the league, and believes they can only get better.

“The results are there. If we look at the results of 2023, we'll find Pirates winning a lot of games. However, there's always one topic to discuss," said Riveiro after his side’s 2-0 victory against Richards Bay on Saturday, as quoted by SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/football/news/orlando-pirates-jose-riveiro-chasing-champions-league-qualification

"Early in the season, we were discussing that we don't capitalise on the chances we create, then we were discussing that we don't score in the second halves, now it's lack of consistency that we are discussing."At this moment, we are second, so we are getting there...we are getting it right. From my point of view, the team is improving...that's what we feel with the players, but we are still far from being a complete team. We still must or should, in the future, play better.""When the season started, we wished and worked to try to be at the top, but unfortunately, it was impossible this season to achieve that level of consistency to fight for the top spot.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-shabalala-and-zwane-must-know.htmlRiveiro’s ambition is to see Amabhakaniya competing in the CAFCL next season, something that will be good for both the club as well as the national team.

With Pirates having a few players representing the country, playing against the best in Africa is a must, as they can transfer that experience to Bafana Bafana.

"Now, our objective is to finish as high as possible, and that means we want to be second...we want to represent Pirates in Africa next season badly, and we'll go all the way until the last day trying to make sure that we are that team who finishes second in the end," he added.