Mandla Ncikazi leaves Orlando Pirates to become Golden Arrows head coach

Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has left the club to return to Golden Arrows as their head coach, hours after Abdeslam Ouaddou dismissed reports of a breakdown in their working relationship.

Pirates confirmed Ncikazi’s departure on Thursday afternoon, saying the move followed discussions between the coach and the club’s management earlier that day.

“Orlando Pirates confirms that assistant Coach Mandla Ncikazi will be leaving the club to take up the head coach position at a team in the Premier Soccer League,” the club said.

“The move follows discussions with management this morning in which Mr Ncikazi expressed his wish to pursue the opportunity to lead a team again. The club has given him its blessing to do so.”

Golden Arrows later announced that Ncikazi had replaced Pitso Dladla.

The developments came after Ouaddou was asked about Ncikazi’s absence from recent matches and reports that the assistant coach no longer wanted to work with him.

Reports last week claimed Ouaddou was attempting to remove Ncikazi from his staff. The Moroccan coach rejected those claims and said Ncikazi was still recovering from knee surgery.

Pirates announced in August that Ncikazi had been granted a short period away from his duties to return to KwaZulu-Natal for further medical treatment and recovery.

Ncikazi joined Pirates in July 2021 and had worked as an assistant under several head coaches during his time at the club.

Speaking at a media conference on Thursday, Ouaddou said Ncikazi’s absence was related to his operation.

“I think the club has issued a statement about that. He [Ncikazi] had surgery, so now he’s recovering. I wish him all the best, and that’s all I can say,” said Ouaddou.

“We read many things and I am sorry about this. Everything is okay in our club … the environment is okay, so people must not start to create problems.

“He had surgery and I wish him the best. It’s important not to create problems. I read many things, but somebody was kissing somebody in his head [referring to himself kissing Ncikazi after beating Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semifinals last season], you can’t start to invent any stories.”

Ncikazi now returns to Golden Arrows, where he previously worked, to take charge of the Premier Soccer League side.