"I will serve": Mandla Ncikazi affirms loyalty to Orlando Pirates
- Martin T
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Orlando Pirates interim head coach Mandla Ncikazi has addressed his future with the club in the wake of Jose Riveiro's early departure.
Ncikazi was an assistant coach to Riveiro, who left the Soweto giants with several matches remaining in the PSL season.
The former Golden Arrows coach, Ncikazi, joined Pirates back in 2021 and, despite his initial contract expiring last year, he penned a two-year extension that runs until the 2025/26 season. He played a key role as Bucs won five trophies under Riveiro's leadership.
As Pirates prepare to announce a new head coach, speculation has mounted regarding whether the 56-year-old will retain his position within the technical team. However, Ncikazi has firmly stated his dedication, confirming he will remain a loyal servant to the club until instructed otherwise.
“I’m just proud of the contribution that I’m making at the club and being appreciated by the club," Ncikazi told journalists after Pirates' 1-1 draw against AmaZulu on Saturday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
"As long as it’s still like that, I’ll always be the servant of this club until I’m told otherwise.
"I’m a smaller puzzle in a bigger picture, and how I’m wired, this has nothing to do with me, it’s a mission. When you are at Pirates, you are sent. You must fulfil the mission. But growth in the club depends on how you look at it. I look at the positive side of life.
“The growth that has been mentioned, the narrowing of the gap [between Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns], the records that have been broken, the youngsters that have been introduced, those are positives.
“Yes, we fell short on some objectives that we wanted, and one can only learn from that and improve going into the next season.”
