Former AmaZulu mentor Romain Folz opens up on Mamelodi Sundowns dismissal - 'Not accepting it won't help with anything'

Well-travelled young coach Romain Folz has shared his thoughts on his exit from Mamelodi Sundowns after only six months with the South African champions.

The French coach was let go alongside head coach Manqoba Mngqithi and goalkeeper coach Wendell Robinson last month despite a promising start to the Premier Soccer League season.

Folz has now clarified why he has no regrets, offering a thorough explanation for why he prefers not to linger on his dismissal from Sundowns.

"I will go in a way in saying honestly, it's not a matter of making sense or not making sense, it's a matter of when you work at Sundowns, a national team or whatever, you are an employee," Folz said on SoccerBeat YouTube Channel.

"So whatever the decision is taken you might agree with it or disagree with it, it might make or not make sense to you, but you have to accept it. Not accepting it, being in confrontation, or being in denial about it is not going to help anymore. 

"When I look back at being first in the league, being still involved in the Champions League where we had not lost any match, there are always things you can do better, obviously the final in the Carling Cup we were not happy about, better things could have been done there," he added. 

"Ultimately the club takes its decision then you reflect afterwards on the work that you have done and try to point out what you have done right and what you have done wrong and try to improve going into the next experience. That is how I proceeded and I don't wish to give myself  time to think whether it was justified because it will not change anything." 

Despite their strong start in the league, Sundowns have had a sluggish beginning in the Caf Champions League and were eliminated in the semi-finals of the MTN8, while also losing the final of the Carling Knockout Cup.

Folz had joined the Tshwane giants during the 2024-25 pre-season as an assistant coach to Mngqithi, who had assumed the head coaching responsibilities after Rhulani Mokwena's exit.

After the trio's removal from their duties, the Motsepe-owned club quickly appointed Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso, who has yet to lose any match in all competitions having played four games so far.

Folz is now a free agent, seeking another project to work on. Mngqithi, who is also without a club, has expressed that he would bring him along should he secure a position anywhere.

The two tacticians should find it relatively easy to obtain new clubs given their backgrounds in South African football.

Sundowns, on the other hand, are gearing up for the forthcoming Caf Champions League match against Raja Casablanca on Saturday evening.