Mandla Ncikazi is back as head coach of Lamontville Golden Arrows FC. The appointment was confirmed by the club on Thursday, just hours after they parted ways with Pitso Dladla.
Ncikazi returns to a club he knows well, having previously guided Abafana Bes’thende to a historic fourth-place finish in the 2020/21 Premiership season. He steps into a role left vacant after a difficult start to the 2026/27 campaign, with the team winning only one of its opening eight league matches, a record of one win, five draws and two losses that leaves them 8th in the Premier Soccer League on 8 points.
"I am excited to be back at a club where I know the culture and structures so well," Ncikazi said.
Immediate challenges
The new manager faces an immediate test. His first match in charge will be a Carling Knockout quarter-final against Chippa United this Saturday. He then takes his team into a KwaZulu-Natal derby away to AmaZulu FC on Saturday 31 October, a tough assignment against a side sitting 3rd in the table.
Golden Arrows currently sit eighth in the standings with eight points from eight games. Their recent form shows two draws and a loss, including a 1-0 home defeat to Milford FC last week where Siphosethu Ndlabi scored the winner in the 71st minute. Their last three results, reading as zero wins, two draws and one defeat, also include a 0-0 draw with Kaizer Chiefs on 20 September and a 1-1 draw away to Siwelele on 13 September. They are 15 points behind league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. The team has scored just 3 goals this season while conceding 4, leaving them with a negative goal difference.
Ncikazi left his role as an assistant coach at Orlando Pirates to take up the position. The club's official statement on Thursday confirmed Dladla's departure, paving the way for the swift managerial change. Supporters will hope Ncikazi's familiarity with the club can spark a quick turnaround in form. His tenure officially begins with the cup tie against Chippa United at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium.
Read the full report at iol.co.za
