PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE
Smiso Msomi|Published
Manqoba Mngqithi’s sudden departure from Young Africans has reopened a familiar question in South African football: could the experienced coach finally get his chance at Kaizer Chiefs?
The former Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows coach is available again after Yanga ended his three-month spell in Tanzania, just days after he guided the club into the CAF Champions League group stages.
And with Chiefs enduring a difficult start to the season, the timing is enough to fuel speculation about a possible return to the conversation around the Naturena hot seat.
This is not a link built entirely on assumption. Before leaving for Tanzania in July, Mngqithi confirmed that Chiefs had shown genuine interest in appointing him, but claimed the move was blocked before negotiations over terms or a position could begin.
“Chiefs’ interest in me is not a lie, but it never came to fruition because there are people who block these moves,” Mngqithi said at the time.
He also revealed that the club’s interest stretched back years, including a visit to Naturena to present his vision before joining Sundowns’ technical team.
Despite those connections, the job has never materialised for Mngqithi. Instead, he chose the Yanga project after leaving Golden Arrows at the end of last season.
His Tanzanian adventure was brief, but it was not without achievements. Mngqithi won the Community Shield and lost just one of his 13 matches in charge, while also steering Yanga into the Champions League group stages.
However, a draw with TRA United left the club five points behind rivals Simba in the league, following a 2-1 defeat in the Kariakoo Derby earlier in October. Yanga subsequently parted ways with the South African coach.
His return to the market inevitably brings Chiefs into the discussion, particularly after their early elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup against Red Arrows.
But there is an important obstacle to any suggestion that a move is imminent: Chiefs have publicly reaffirmed their support for head coach Fernando da Cruz and the technical team, insisting that one disappointing result would not derail their long-term project.
That statement means any Mngqithi-to-Chiefs talk remains speculative. There is no confirmed approach or indication that the club is preparing to make a coaching change.
Still, football can move quickly, especially at a club where results and expectations rarely allow much room for patience.
Mngqithi offers extensive knowledge of the South African game, experience at a title-winning club and a record of working across different technical roles. Those qualities could make him a candidate if Chiefs reconsider their direction in the future.
For now, though, the question is not whether Mngqithi is available — he is. It is whether Chiefs’ long-standing interest will finally translate into a concrete opportunity.
After years of near-misses and a brief stint in Tanzania, Naturena could once again become part of the conversation. Whether the door actually opens is another matter.