Segolela says Pirates will miss Ncikazi but can adapt to change

Former Orlando Pirates winger Tlou Segolela believes Mandla Ncikazi’s departure will be felt at the club, although he is confident the Soweto side has the experience and professionalism to cope with the change.

Ncikazi has left Orlando Pirates to return to Golden Arrows as head coach, ending a spell with the Buccaneers that began in August 2021.

The 57-year-old played an important role behind the scenes at Pirates, offering institutional knowledge to incoming head coaches and helping connect the technical staff with the players.

Segolela accepted that Ncikazi’s close relationships within the squad would make his exit difficult for some members of the team, but said the move also represented an important opportunity for the coach.

“Obviously, when things are like that, when he had built good relationships with the players, he was familiar with the environment and the institution, yes, it’s going to be sad, but it’s football,” Segolela told KickOff.

“Football is about opportunity. He was there serving as an assistant, and now he has the opportunity to come back and be a head coach again.”

Ncikazi previously enjoyed a successful spell at Golden Arrows, guiding the KwaZulu-Natal club to fourth place in the league standings. Segolela, who is widely known by the nickname ‘Sox’, believes that achievement showed the coach was ready to take charge again.

“If you recall, I think he’s the guy who brought Arrows to number four on the log, which I think was their best achievement in the log standings. So it’s a great opportunity. Now he can stand for himself, he can make decisions,” Segolela continued.

The former midfielder, who was born in Moletjie, said Ncikazi’s departure also created an opening for another member of the Pirates technical team to take on greater responsibility and help the club pursue its ambitions.

Segolela acknowledged that players who worked closely with Ncikazi could initially struggle with his absence, but insisted they would be expected to adjust as professionals.

“For Pirates, it’s now an opportunity for someone to come in. It is going to be sad for the players he was close to working with, but they are professionals, they can adjust and move on,” Segolela concluded.