‘I don’t listen to the rubbish people say’: Sundowns coach Mngqithi slams detractors

Manqoba Mngqithi came out swinging in his post-match press conference after the 2-0 Betway Premiership win over SuperSport United at Loftus on Tuesday to take sharp aim at his detractors.

Always smiling and approachable, Mngqithi displayed his other side as he strongly interrogated and dismissed some of questions thrown at him about what is happening in the team. 

At the start to the domestic season, there has been disapproval of Sundowns' style of play under the new head coach's leadership after an unconvincing MTN8 quarterfinal win over Polokwane City and successive losses to Stellenbosch FC. 

The Brazilians recovered with a 4-0 win over Mbabane Swallows of Eswatini in the first leg of their Champions League preliminary stage tie and Tuesday night's victory over SuperSport to start the defence of the league, which Downs have won seven successive times. 

In the build-up to the United win, there was intense speculation of an alleged fallout between Mngqithi and star players Khuliso Mudau and Teboho Mokoena, who had been sidelined for the match without specific reasons given, but the coach was quick to dismiss any bad blood. 

On the early-season pressure, Mngqithi said he does not pay attention to what is said about him. 

“I am helped by the fact that I am not on social media, so I don’t listen to all the rubbish that people say. Sometimes you will be emotional from maybe the pictures that people sent where they talk rubbish,” he said. 

“You will ask yourself, why is he saying this? But because I am not on social media, I survive. And also I am a big boy — I have been in football for more than 20 years and I know what is expected of me.” 

Mngqithi is aware he will be judged on results. 

“I know sometimes I will be able to be in the job for long, and maybe if circumstances don’t allow me because I have not done well, I know what is most likely to happen. 

“In life it is important to accept that you have to face the realities. The good thing is I have high self-esteem, I am confident in my abilities and I know what I am capable of. 

“It is not what an opinionated person says that defines me, other people can’t even manage their own lives but they have big opinions about what you are competent in. If you listen to everybody, you will end up losing your mind. 

“For me it is always important to trust my gut feeling, competence and abilities as a human being and to know that sometimes I can do so well and [others times] maybe luck may not be on my side and circumstances may not favour me.” 

Mngqithi stressed he has no problem with making tough decisions and his track record shows he is willing to part with high-profile players who are not performing. 

“One thing you must know about me is I am capable of taking decisive decisions — that's one thing I am good at. If you can check, some of the top players that were respected in my previous clubs, when I say I no longer feel you in the club, I take that decision and I move and that helps me a lot. 

“If you go back Golden Arrows and check what happened to Bheka Phakathi and Lucky ‘Y2K’ Sibeko and what happened to Pere Ariweriyai at AmaZulu, all these players were influential at those clubs — but when I feel you are not going to help us, at that point in time I take the decision. 

“The other thing is I am a very good human being, I don’t keep grudges. When you are ready to perform and give the team what it needs, I will always embrace you. I must be a father to these kids who are looking up to their leader to be fair to them. 

“Just like in any other family, there will be good and bad moments, there will be punishments and rewards and there will successes and failures. It is the story of life.”