By Ayanda Nyuswa
Gagasi FM Sports specialist Mike Makaab has given an update on Manqoba Mngqithi’s future at Mamelodi Sundowns, and the new deal he is close to signing with the club. Mngqithi’s deal with Sundowns concluded at the end of June, and the former Golden Arrows coach has been in talks with the club for a new deal.
South African football fraternity was shaken by the news of Rulani Mokwena amicably parting ways with Sundowns this week, after his first full season as sole head coach. As a result, Mngqithi was placed in charge of training sessions as players returned for duty in the first week of pre-season. After months of negotiations, Mngqithi’s agent Mike Makaab has confirmed the KZN-born coach is close to agreeing a deal for a “unique position” at the club.
“It’s a different position that I can’t discuss, it’s not an assistant, but not a head coach, it’s something pretty different but on the coaching side, which I think is unique in South African football but not unique to European football,” said Makaab speaking on Extratime on Gagasi FM.
Makaab also emphasised that Rulani Mokwena’s departure at Sundowns did not affect Mngqithi’s contract negotiations with the club.
“I am confident that during the course of this week we will finalise a deal for Manqoba. The majority of the terms of the agreement have been agreed and it obviously it was difficult for us, probably more difficult for Mamelodi Sundowns to bring it to finality because we didn’t know what was happening behind the scenes, and Mamelodi Sundowns obviously knew that these discussions were on-going with coach Rulani. I guess that’s why there has been this delay, I am hoping that, now that the dust is starting to settle, cause it’s a big change, we’ll finally put pen to paper and put all of this speculation aside,” Makaab concluded.
