Mandla Ncikazi has opened up about his decision to leave Orlando Pirates after five years at the Soweto giants, explaining that he felt he had achieved everything possible at the club and needed a new challenge.

The experienced coach has returned to Lamontville Golden Arrows, where he has taken over as head coach after ending his association with the Buccaneers.

Ncikazi joined Pirates in 2021 after an impressive spell at Arrows, where he helped the KwaZulu-Natal outfit achieve a fourth-place finish in the 2020/21 Premier Soccer League campaign.

During his time at Orlando Stadium, he worked under different head coaches and formed part of a technical team that won nine trophies.

However, despite the success he enjoyed with the Soweto giants, the 57-year-old believed it was time to move on and rediscover the demands of being a head coach.

Speaking about his decision, Ncikazi explained that he was grateful for everything he experienced at Pirates but wanted to challenge himself in a different environment.

"I thought with gratitude, where I'm coming from, I think I achieved everything as a coach. I'm grateful to the big institution and all the memories," Ncikazi said, as quoted by iDiski Times.

He also explained that returning to a head coaching position would allow him to work more closely with younger players and continue developing his coaching career.

"I thank the supporters for sharing such memories with them. Then your next phase, after you have won everything, now as a coach, maybe [go for] a different challenge. Let me go back, work with young players, challenge myself," he added.

Ncikazi further made it clear that he did not want to reach retirement without experiencing the pressure and responsibilities that come with leading a team.

"I don't want to retire as a coach, not having the stress that I have today. I thought it was an opportunity for me when Arrows gave me the opportunity. I said the club is still very close to my heart."

His comments suggest that the decision was driven by his desire to return to the centre of football management rather than remain in an assistant coaching position.

The coach also reflected on his previous achievements at Golden Arrows, pointing out that the club reached its highest league position during his earlier spell in charge.

"The highest position that Arrows ever achieved was in my presence. We broke almost lots of records, maybe that crave was still there," he explained.

Ncikazi's return, however, comes with immediate pressure. He acknowledged that his current assignment is different from his previous spell because there is limited time to implement his ideas.

He has already experienced defeat in his second spell after Arrows lost 1-0 to AmaZulu in the KwaZulu-Natal derby.

For Orlando Pirates, his departure brings an end to a five-year relationship with a coach who played an important role in their recent trophy-winning period.

Meanwhile, Ncikazi will now attempt to rebuild Golden Arrows and establish himself once again as a successful head coach in the Betway Premiership.

His decision shows that even after winning nine trophies at a major club, the ambition to take on a new challenge can influence a coach's next career move.

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/ncikazi-details-big-orlando-pirates-decision