It’s put him in a spot: Bapela questions Mngqithi’s Sundowns demotion

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Alex “Barnes” Bapela says he is unsure if dynamic but less experienced Rulani Mokwena presiding over more senior Manqoba Mngqithi and Steve Komphela will work for the club.

In a shock move on Monday, Sundowns announced a restructuring after “poor performances and unconvincing victories” of their technical staff, of which Mokwena, previously co-coach with Mngqithi, becomes head coach. Komphela has been “promoted” from senior coach to first-team coach, while Mngqithi takes over Komphela’s senior coach role.

The shuffle apparently places Mokwena, 35, highest in the decision-making pecking order followed by Komphela, 55, and Mngqithi, 51, both of whom have had long top-flight careers.

Bapela, a Sundowns assistant coach from 2012 to 2014 and reserve team coach until 2015, told SAFM’s Sport On he has concerns about how Mokwena, the junior of the trio, will respond to being their superior and vice versa.

“In age and coaching experience Rulani is a genius. He’s more than good as a coach,” Bapela, who played more than 120 games for Sundowns from 1997 to 2003, said.

“But he doesn’t have that experience. Remember, Rulani never played professional football and some of the players are older than him.

“Steve has been there [as a top-level coach] for so many teams. Even Manqoba has been coaching for a long time and is senior in so many ways. To come and say he [Mngqithi] is the assistant coach, I don’t know how he will take it. From where I’m sitting it’s put him in a spot.

“For me, that thing [of co-coaches] will never work because even though you’re co-coaches when you sit around the table and discuss the tactics, somebody's ideas are always going to come first.”

Asked if he understands the practical differences between the positions Sundowns have termed “first-team coach” and “senior coach”, Bapela laughed, saying: “Even what they have now, I still don’t believe it will work.

“It means some people’s egos are tainted because one was promoted and one was demoted. There’s still confusion.

“Wait for the two games [Sundowns meet Maritzburg United at Pietermaritzburg's Harry Gwala Stadium in the DStv Premiership on Tuesday night and Royal AM at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban on Saturday] to pass without Sundowns getting results and [whether the new regime works] will reveal itself.

“At the moment it’s a bit clouded because Sundowns lost [3-0 to Orlando Pirates in the semifinals of the MTN8 in Polokwane on Saturday] and didn’t win convincingly [1-0 against Marumo Gallants] in their last league match.

“It means someone was not doing well, but wait until the next two or three games [to know for sure].”

Bapela expressed reservations about Mngqithi easily accepting his new role.

“If I was Manqoba, for an example, I was a coach and now they’re saying a senior coach — doing what?

“As a coach, for sure you want to make your name [and your brand, but three coaches] means your brand is not shining any more. For now at Sundowns, I’m asking myself who’s going to shine.

“If it happens that the three of them lose their jobs, who’s going get a new job first because one is the head coach, one is assistant and the other is a senior coach?

“You’re putting Rulani on top. He’s very junior [to Mngqithi and Komphela], with due respect.

“As coaches there are times when a ball goes far [kicked outside a training field] and somebody must go and look for the ball.

“I’m looking at the situation where I’m at Sundowns and the ball goes far and Rulani is the one who’s the head coach. Who’s going to look for that ball? It should be the assistant coach, being who? This thing just doesn’t work.”

Sundowns have played 15 matches in all competitions in 2022-23, winning 10, drawing two and losing three. The five-times successive champions are top of the DStv Premiership.