I'm only fine-tuning Mokwena’s tactics – Says Mngqithi

Mamelodi Sundowns tactician Manqoba Mngqithi has dismissed the notion that he’s changing his predecessor Rulani Mokwena’s footprint at the club, crediting him for the work he did before leaving for Wydad Casablanca in the off-season.

Sundowns maintained their perfect start to the Betway Premiership by coming from behind to beat Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in what was a sold-out affair at FNB Stadium over the weekend. Lucas Ribeiro and Iqraam Rayners were on target for the defending champions, while Ranga Chivaviro netted for Amakhosi.

Omitting two of the most influential players of the Mokwena era at the club in Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau in recent games may have suggested that Mngqithi was somehow stamping out Mokwena’s philosophy at the club as he also wasted no time making two newcomers Rayners and Asekho Tiwati the integral part of his starting XI. 

However, Mngqithi has emphasised that he hasn’t changed anything, explaining that he’s only added the aspect he feels the team lacked previously. The Sundowns coach also lauded Mokwena for the work he did, suggesting it’d be stupid of him to change his predecessor’s structure as he maintained he was only trying to improve the side. 

“I think it was ignorance from the beginning to think that we’ve changed anything because I think we added... we didn’t change anything. Sometimes in society, people jump to conclusions before they even ask. You end up having situations where people think there’s something that has happened and yet there’s nothing,” Mngqithi stated.

“I’ve been in this institution for so many years and I know what has gone right and what has gone wrong, and I know areas that need to be improved and also commend the good work that my predecessor did because there was a lot of work that Rulani did, which is good and is helping the same club that is there now.

“If I was stupid or ignorant or had low self-esteem I would have gone in the direction of wanting to change and bring my own things. It was baffling hearing people talking the way they talked. The truth was, we wanted to improve the speed of play because we were a team that wasn’t strong on transitions... we were a team that wasn’t strong on break attacks and we were a team that didn’t have maximum width.”

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