Dikgacoi backs Mngqithi’s bold title ambitions

GOLDEN Arrows assistant coach Kagisho Dikgacoi has thrown his support behind Manqoba Mngqithi’s bold ambition to mount a Betway Premiership title challenge, saying the veteran coach has already transformed the club’s mentality behind the scenes.

- SMISO MSOMI

Mngqithi returned to Arrows late last season after parting ways with Mamelodi Sundowns, reuniting with a club where he built his name in the early 2000s.

He took over a side battling for consistency and managed to steady the ship, helping Abafana Bes'thende secure a 12th-place finish - two points shy of a top-eight spot.

Now, with a full preseason under his belt, Mngqithi has made it clear that he’s aiming higher.

For Dikgacoi, who played under Mngqithi during his first spell at Arrows before securing a move abroad, the ambition is refreshing and familiar.

"We obviously didn’t do well last season until he came in, and he immediately demanded intensity from the players," said Dikgacoi. "That shifted the mentality a little in the changeroom."