Mngqithi would have been a name in the frame to replace Hugo Broos but instead will look for Champions League glory with ‘Yanga’, who have African Club Association chairman Hersi Said leading the club.
Mngqithi joins having left Lamontville Golden Arrows at the end of last season, and following a successful spell with Mamelodi Sundowns, where he was first assistant to Pitso Mosimane, then head coach himself.
“It is always exciting, I wanted to go into the Champions League space and see what can happen,” Mngqithi told SABC Sport about his appointment. “They are an ambitious club that is trying to bring in some players to assist us to meet our objectives.
“They are a very professional set-up, which is very encouraging for me. It is something I have always looked forward to, to be back in the Champions League environment. Let’s see how far I can take East Africa.”
The major rivals of Yanga in Tanzania are Simba SC, who are led by another South African in Steve Barker, and have also had Trott Moloto and Fadlu Davids in charge in the past.
Other recent coaches of Yanga who are well known to South Africans are Nasreddine Nabi, Miguel Gamondi, Luc Eymael, Sead Ramovic, Patrick Mabedi and Romain Folz, all of whom have worked in the Premier Soccer League.
Yanga won the Tanzanian league by two points from Simba last season, but had parted ways with Portuguese coach Pedro Gonçalves with a month to go in the campaign.
Pitso Mosimane remains the frontrunner to replace Broos when his contract expires this month, despite SAFA’s insistence that the Belgian remains in his position.
