Gaba in action against Senegal
* He is quoted as saying South African Premier Soccer League is bigger than the AFCON
* AFCON is organised by CAF, whose president is South African national Patrice Motsepe
* This is an embarrassment to Pirates chairman for hiring an immature coach
* Mandla is so clueless and doesn’t deserve to be coach for such a big club
By Duncan Mlanjira
Soon after Gabadinho Mhango’s return from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) where he dazzled his skills, South Africans were incredulous when he was dropped from his club Orlando Pirates’ match against AmaZulu last Sunday.
Highflying Gaba in Orlando colours
But when Pirates’ coach Mandla Ncikazi was asked by that country’s media why Gaba was snubbed for his Club assignment when South African fans expected that he would be immediately featured following his exceptional exploits at the AFCON, Ncikazi undermined the focus on the player by saying he has “a galaxy of players”.
He further said the Malawi star’s exploits at the continental showpiece was nothing to him as the South African Premier Soccer League is bigger than the AFCON.
The comment attracted a huge backlash and rebuked Ncikazi for disrespecting AFCON over his snub on Gaba — which proves to be more of a personal grudge than professional.
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South Africa football fans took to social media as soon as his comment was published in Times Live with Henry William Ntondo saying: “Coach, please go for check up at the nearest hospital” with Motsome Karabo Phasha saying: “We continue to lie to ourselves”.
He was further described as “a shame of a coach” for his “arrogance” while Simon Rendani Munyai said “he is running mad — AFCON is bigger than our Premier League”.
Elliot Marowa was so incredulous and described the coach as very unprofessional by disregarding that even the South Africa national team failed to qualify for the continental football showpiece.
Motsepe and Infantino at the AFCON
Buhe Moyo failed to understand how Ncikazi undermined the AFCON like that when Confederation of African Football Association (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe (a South African national) — together FIFA president Gianni Infantino and many world football dignitaries attended the great showpiece.
The AFCON attracted an array of world class African stars — a majority of whom ply their trade in European leagues while the champions Senegal are ranked the number one team in Africa (20 in the world) — with South Africa at continental 13 and 68 in the world.
“And [Ncikazi] has nerves to disrespect it just like that!” Moyo was astounded, with Muzi Mbatha saying “this is embarrassment goes straight to the chairman of Orlando Pirates for hiring an immature coach” as Mandla is “so clueless and doesn’t deserve to be coach for such a big club”.
Mandla Ncikazi
Thabo Tsompos said he needs to be taught some skills on how to answer questions from the media because the outburst on Gaba has just put him under pressure as he has been deemed as a confused person.
“This guy is mad — Bafana Bafana did not make it to the AFCON and he is here telling the nation that PSL is bigger than AFCON? You must be smocking chicken drops!”
Thokozani Thwala asked Gaba not to despair saying Kaizer Chiefs is his home — “we love you — you are amongst the best on the continent and you are really needed. Forget about Ncikazi”.
Flames celebrating Gaba’s goal against Morocco at the AFCON
In Cameroon, Gaba scored a sensational goal against Morocco to take his tally to three and finished joint-third top scorer. In the match against the new African champions in the group matches, Gaba troubled the Lions of Teranga’s defence that included Kalidou Koulibaly — who plays for Naples in France.
James Watson sneered at the coach that he has never won any PSL trophy yet Gaba played 3 games at the AFCON and managed to score 3 goals, was Man of Match [against Zimbabwe] and scored goal of the tournament [against North African giants Morocco].
He also reminded Ncikazi that in his debut appearance at Orlando Pirates, Gaba was the top scorer in PSL— saying “Mhango is bigger than PSL”.
Bheka Nxumalo said “the level of arrogance and jealousy [by the coach] is shocking — Mhango must leave this club.
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Geoffrey Namate scoffed off Ncikazi by saying one day he will declare that South Africa is bigger than the African continent “the guy wants to square the circle” because those competing at the AFCON represented their nations with pride it deserved but Ncikazi has a galaxy of players yet his national team failed to qualify.
Sibusiso-Sabatha Kubheka hinted that the coach is just trying to cover himself up just like what others do nowadays when they don’t produce the required results.
“This man is so condescending in his remarks,” said Nzeru Zayekha. “If you have so much as a galaxy of players, then let the ones you are considering as best for you stay and others go — simple.
“The story was about Mhango but how it became of his preferences, I don’t understand, and his strong sense of pride shouldn’t hurt someone’s career suffer because of pride — foolish man.”
These were just South African fans while that country’s newspaper Sowetan quoted Gaba’s Orlando Pirates teammate Andries Sebola censuring the coach for his bizarre comments regarding the AFCON.
“Mhango is supposed to play because he’s on fire,” Sebola is quoted as saying by the Sowetan. “You can’t say a scoring striker must wait for his turn.”
He told the paper that after watching the highlights of the game against AmaZulu, he was convinced Gaba would have scored from some of the chances they missed, saying “Mhango is Pirates’ best striker at the moment, so he must start games”.
Gaba’s teammate Andries Sebola
“Mandla is losing the plot. When he says the PSL is bigger than AFCON, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. When he’s bored with coaching Pirates, he must pack his bags and go back to Arrows.
“How can the best players in the world such as Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah play AFCON if it’s not a big tournament? The PSL is smaller than AFCON.
“Riyad Mahrez won’t come from Manchester City to play for Algeria if AFCON was a small competition. I don’t know what’s wrong with Ncikazi these days. Mandla has never been out of the country to represent South Africa, that’s why he talks like this about AFCON,” Sebola told the Sowetan.
Public notice from Beit Cure