Mamelodi Sundowns legend, Manqoba Mngqithi, has revealed that he received several offers before deciding to return to Golden Arrows.
Why Mngqithi Chose Golden Arrows
After an unexpectedly rocky start to the season with Sundowns, the club made the surprising decision to part ways with Mngqithi, who was later replaced by Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso. Soon after, Mngqithi rejoined his former club, Golden Arrows, last month.
Speaking to Ukhozi FM, Mngqithi shared: “Most clubs that showed interest wanted me for next season. One club made a late approach, but by that time, I had already received the call from sis (Mato Madlala) from Arrows.”
Mngqithi explained that the situation made it difficult for him to consider the other club. “It was going to be hard to go there after Arrows asked me to come and help. I didn’t want to see them in trouble when I could assist,” he said.
He quickly made his decision: “It didn’t take long for me to decide. When they asked me to come, I knew I had to help. This team gave me an opportunity when no one else would, and I owe them. I’m here to do whatever is needed.”
Miguel Cardoso Calls for VAR Support in South African Football
Meanwhile, Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has voiced his belief that local football referees could benefit from VAR support. The controversial decisions in recent matches, including the Golden Arrows vs Sundowns game and the Stellenbosch FC vs Kaizer Chiefs match, have again put local officials in the spotlight.
Cardoso commented, “I don’t like to personalise issues with referees because coaches have more to lose when they do so. It’s up to the media to highlight what’s good or bad in the game,” he said, via iDiski Times.
The Sundowns mentor emphasized the need for improvement: “As the level of coaches and players increases, the level of referees should also rise. It would be beneficial for VAR to be implemented in South Africa. Referees are human, and mistakes happen, but when there are too many mistakes in one match, it’s uncomfortable.”
Cardoso noted that the poor decisions cost Sundowns vital points, affecting their title race and team morale: “In a normal game, we would have won, and those two points could have been crucial in the championship fight.”
