Raymond Mdaka content to stay out of the spotlight after South Africa success

South Africa Under-20 and U-23 coach Raymond Mdaka has no interest in chasing recognition, despite leading Amajita to a series of landmark achievements.

Mdaka has guided South Africa to consecutive Cosafa Under-20 titles and the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), the first youth continental trophy won by a South African side. He also took the team to the 2025 Fifa U-20 World Cup in Chile, where Amajita were beaten by Colombia in the last 16.

The 56-year-old is regarded as one of the country’s leading young coaches and youth-team coaches. Following Sunday’s victory over hosts Mozambique in Maputo, South Africa secured a second successive Cosafa Under-20 Cup and will travel to next year’s Afcon in Ghana as defending champions.

Mdaka will attempt to win the competition for a second consecutive time with a new group of players, but he insists public acclaim is not his priority.

“If I am looking for people to be praising and saying things about me, I may lose focus,” he said as South Africa’s U-23 side prepared for friendlies against Algeria in Bloemfontein on Thursday and Sunday.

The matches form part of the preparations for a 2027 U-23 Afcon qualifier in November.

“Sometimes you need to do what you can do best wherever you are in that particular moment. Life will always change, things will always come around, but if you are looking far ahead instead of doing good in what you have to for now, you might miss direction.”

Mdaka returned from Mozambique with the Under-20 squad on Monday and immediately joined the U-23 camp. He said managing both teams had always been part of the programme, although it placed significant demands on the coaching staff.

“It is a challenge [to be coaching two different teams] but it is something we knew about. It was in our programme that we will go to Cosafa U-20 and immediately come back and go to U-23.

“It’s only me and coach Karabo [Mogodi, Mdaka’s assistant] and the analyst who were in Mozambique with the U-20s. You go there and work for almost 14 days and then come back to work with another team.”

The U-23 squad includes several players who featured prominently in the 2025 U-20 Afcon triumph and at the U-20 World Cup. Fletcher Smythe-Lowe, Asekho Tiwani, Neo Rapoo, Camren Dansin, Mfundo Vilakazi, Kutlwano Letlhaku, Emile Witbooi, Mpho Padime and Luke Baartman are among those available.

Mdaka said selecting a balanced team from such a large pool was difficult, rather than simply a benefit.

“People will always say it’s a good headache [to have this many talented players available] but it’s one of the difficult challenges we are facing. You have to do what we call squad composition and balance it.”

He added that the staff would assess which players best suited each position and the team’s preferred style.

For the Algeria fixtures, Mdaka wants the squad to build understanding and gain valuable playing time before the Olympic qualifiers. He also said logistical support and adequate preparation would be essential.

“Even now when we are in camp, we are already making proposals because honestly without preparation there is nothing that can happen. We can have the best players, but if we cannot be given the support it won’t work. We will put a proposal and we always remain positive that we will get something that will help us.”