Grateful for the Past: Ncikazi Thanks Pirates After Return to Arrows

October 24, 2026 sportnow Mandla Ncikazi, the newly appointed coach of Golden Arrows, expresses his deep gratitude towards Orlando Pirates for his development as a coach, stating that his transition back to Abafana Bes’Thende was feasible because he “never burned any bridges.” Ncikazi left the Buccaneers on Thursday after over five years at Mayfair, marking his return to the Durban club that first sent him to Pirates before the 2021/22 season.

His exit was reportedly due to tensions with Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou. Anticipating Ncikazi’s departure, Arrows responded quickly by terminating Pitso Dladla’s contract following a five-match winless streak and reinstating Ncikazi as the team’s leader.

This is Ncikazi’s third time working with Abafana Bes’Thende. He previously served as an assistant to Manqoba Mngqithi during their memorable 2009/10 MTN8 victory, before continuing under Clinton Larsen and Steve Komphela prior to his first head coaching role.

“This is destiny, and sometimes it plays a crucial role,” Ncikazi mentioned during a club’s X-space session.

“They say, ‘Do not cut down the tree whose shade you might seek one day.’ I wouldn’t have this chance if it weren’t for my character. Therefore, I remain thankful to my former employers for their invaluable insights.

“I extend my heartfelt thanks to our chairlady [Mato Madlala] for considering my name when she required a coach.”

Ncikazi will be joined by Ashley Makhanya as his assistant and faces a quick challenge in his first match when Golden Arrows take on Chippa United in the Round of 16 of the Carling Knockout Cup at King Zwelithini Stadium this Saturday.

“I am committed to improving the team’s performance,” Ncikazi added, remembering how he led Arrows to a fourth-place finish in the 2020/21 season, the best in the club’s PSL history.

“I am confident that we will surpass our previous achievements.”

Upon reviewing the squad, Ncikazi praised the energy exhibited by the younger players:

“It’s still early days and we are working with youth, but I notice their eagerness to learn. You can see from our set plays that they’re enthusiastic about trying new things.

“This instills hope. With this positive attitude, I believe we can achieve better results. However, one should not overpromise and underdeliver.”