Orlando Pirates FC have confirmed that assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi is leaving the club. He is taking a head coach role with another team in the Premier Soccer League. The Soweto-based club announced the departure on Thursday. This marks a major shift for the technical staff while the team is positioned near the top of the league standings, sitting second with 22 points from eight games after seven wins and a draw.
Ncikazi worked mainly as an assistant during his time with Pirates, also spending a short period as a co-coach. His time at the club was marked by success, helping the team win several trophies in different tournaments. Before joining Pirates, he was the head coach at Golden Arrows.
Club chairman Dr Irvin Khoza thanked Ncikazi for his service and showed support for his goal of being a head coach once more. Khoza recognized the coach's wish to take on a fresh challenge and offered his best wishes for the future. The club supported his move after talks where Ncikazi shared his ambition to lead a team again.
The staff change happens as Orlando Pirates are performing well, having secured victories in several recent matches. The team's recent form shows four wins and one defeat from their last five games, including a 1-0 win over African Stars on Saturday 17 October and a 3-0 victory against TS Galaxy on Tuesday 13 October. They are now on a two-game winning run and are just one point behind the league leaders. Top scorer Tshepang Moremi, who has four goals this season and scored the decisive goal in the recent match against African Stars, will be important as the team moves forward. The Pirates, who have scored 19 goals and conceded just one this season, face a key test in their next fixture at home against Kaizer Chiefs, who are fifth, on Saturday 31 October.
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