Komphela exit could put Sundowns' dominance under threat: Shongwe

Football pundit and legendary Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper William Shongwe believes Mamelodi Sundowns’ dominance in South Africa may be under threat after the departure of Steve Komphela.   

Komphela, among South Africa's most experienced and highlyrated coaches, has dumped the Sundowns’ technical team where he was first team coach — effectively assistant to head coach Rulani Mokwena — for the head coach position at Moroka Swallows.   

In a coaching reshuffle in October, Mokwena was promoted sole head coach having been a co-coach with Manqoba Mngqithi, who was designated senior coach and effectively became third in line. There have been reports and speculation of disharmony in the structure since then.

Shongwe believes the loss of Komphela as a steady, calm and senior figure in the coaching structure could be detrimental to Sundowns and said constant speculation about Mngqithi's future at the club, given he is in his final year of his contract, is not helping.   

The Chiefs legend believes the two experienced coaches, Komphela and Mngqithi, played a major role ensuring there was continuation of success after Pitso Mosimane’s shock departure after a hugely successful eight years at the Brazilians in 2020.   

“I’m a bit concerned because Manqoba is not certain, we are not hearing what his stand is [on his future]. Already Komphela has moved,” Shongwe told TimesLIVE while doing commentary for SuperSport TV at the Cosafa Cup in Durban.    

“As much as there were rumours bubbling underneath that maybe there are differences between this one and that one, the commitment to the cause was high priority for everyone.    

“That would be the only question now: will he have enough resources within him, that is Rulani, to continue to source this top advice?   

“Steve was good in preparing set piece situations, which Rulani openly mentioned in some prematch or postmatch interviews.    

“That’s a key part of the game. If you can’t beat a team in open play, you can use set pieces and those must be rehearsed in training sessions to get it right. Steve was excellent at that — will that [polished set pieces] continue to be the case?   

“Will he [Mokwena] find somebody that will be as good as Steve to provide that type of service? I’m not too sure.”    

Shongwe said seemingly minor factors such as Mngqithi’s calmness play a huge role in ensuring success at Chloorkop.   

Mngqithi was linked with moves to Chiefs and AmaZulu, but those teams have since appointed Molefi Ntseki and Pablo Franco Martin respectively.   

“Manqoba Mngqithi, in his calm demeanour, is the one who will come and whisper to the coach that so and so is not pushing today,” Shongwe said.    

“He will come to the players and tell them to pull up their socks and say, ‘I’m watching you and you are not giving your all, what’s wrong? Is there a problem?’

“If he doesn’t have that, will coach Rulani be able to still run the whole thing because the teamwork was unbelievable? I think people don’t understand the roles the individuals played.”

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