Postmortem on Manqoba Mngqithi's exit at Mamelodi Sundowns - how he handled the media, relations with Bafana Bafana & dealing with Teboho Mokoena

Stellenbosch made waves in the MTN8, impressively reaching the final, only to fall short against Orlando Pirates.

Along the way to the final, Stellies had to face Sundowns in the semi-final, and that's when Mngqithi took a shot at his then-counterpart, Steve Barker.

Mngqithi, ever the provocateur, suggested that Barker and Stellies should remember their place as a relatively small team.

He warned them not to get carried away with their recent success, claiming they were merely punching above their weight.

Fast forward a few days, and Stellies silenced Mngqithi in spectacular fashion, shutting down his dismissive remarks and showing him to never underestimate and disrespect the opposition.

Despite Mngqithi's insistence that there was no cause for panic, it was clear that things weren't going to plan at Sundowns.

He boldly proclaimed that anyone who doubted his ability to coach the team was simply being malicious, barely holding back from labelling them crazy.

But rather than stabilizing Sundowns, Mngqithi’s approach backfired.

He seemed eager to leave his own mark on the team by reversing much of what his predecessor, Rhulani Mokwena, had built.

His rapid introduction of wing-play failed to mesh with the players' natural strengths, and the cost was paid in poor results, undermining the team’s rhythm and morale.

A key aspect of being a successful coach is managing the media and the pressures that come with it.

Unfortunately, Mngqithi seemed indifferent to this responsibility.

Instead of cultivating positive media relations, he adopted a combative approach, often dismissing questions and, on occasion, being utterly rude to journalists with his "next question please" trademark whenever he felt a question was unjust.

Unlike Mokwena, who handled the press with poise and finesse, Mngqithi’s arrogance and lack of media savvy made him come across as aloof and sometimes difficult to engage with, adding fuel to the fire.

Perhaps he was too comfortable, as some of our readers suggest.

Teboho Mokoena is one of the brightest talents in the PSL and a key player for Bafana Bafana.

However, his relationship with Mngqithi soured for reasons that remain unclear.

Mngqithi’s handling of the situation was less than graceful, publicly stating that he wouldn't hesitate to punish players who defied him.

This tough-guy stance may have worked in some situations, but with a player of Mokoena's calibre, it was a misstep.

Star players need respect, not threats, and Mngqithi’s harsh approach only exacerbated tensions, further isolating a valuable asset.

Player power is a phenomenon that can undermine a coach’s authority, and it seemed to be a growing concern under Mngqithi's leadership.

His clashes with Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau appeared to create rifts within the squad, potentially fracturing team cohesion.

Once a coach loses the trust and backing of his players, it becomes nearly impossible to get the desired results.

Players may become disengaged, withholding their full effort on the pitch, which inevitably leads to disappointing performances and poor results.

One of Mngqithi’s most infamous moments came when he fired back at Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, with the now-legendary quote: Broos must "manage his house and I will manage my house".

This was a direct dig at Broos, who had criticised Mngqithi for not selecting Mokoena at Downs, and would be rusty at national level.

Relations between the two men were strained, to the point that Broos felt compelled to arrange a meeting with Mngqithi.

Whether that meeting ever took place at Chloorkop remains unclear, but the fallout from such comments turned Mngqithi into a divisive figure.

His defiance towards Broos made him look like someone who wasn’t fully aligned with the national team's objectives, casting a shadow over his coaching tenure and further souring his image as a team player.