Mngqithi: SAFA needs to come to the party

Manqoba Mngqithi head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns

Saturday Oct 15, 2022. 11:00

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has pointed the finger at the South African Football Federation (SAFA) for local coaches being absent from the dugout in CAF competitions.

Cape Town City’s Eric Tinkler, Royal AM’s Khabo Zondo and Marumo Gallants’ Dan Malesela have all been barred from taking charge of their respective clubs for continental matches this season as they don’t meet the requirements stipulated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Only Sundowns duo Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena have the necessary qualifications, a CAF A licence, which cannot be obtained in South Africa due to SAFA not organising any courses for coaches wanting to be certified.

The other three men have had to watch from the stands while their teams were being led by assistant coaches, who are required to hold a CAF B licence to sit on the bench in Africa.

When quizzed about this issue by the media, Mngqithi replied: “Why don’t you ask the federation [SAFA]? You must take this question to the federation – do not approach it so narrow-mindedly.

“South African coaches want to have these CAF A licences but there are no A licence courses in the country. There have been no A licence courses probably after our era – the second group that was the era of coach Rulani that got the A licence and when was that?

“We are competing in the continental space and don’t have qualified coaches on the bench. It is not that the coaches do not want to study, it is because the courses are not there.

“It’s not that the clubs are not serious about having qualified coaches, the clubs have no control on this one. It requires the federation to roll out as many coaching courses as possible to make sure our people have the required coaching qualifications.”