Mandla Ncikazi has returned to familiar territory after being unveiled as the new head coach of Golden Arrows, just days after his departure from Orlando Pirates.

The Durban-based club announced Ncikazi’s appointment shortly after confirming that Pitso Dladla had left his position following a disappointing run of results.

Ncikazi’s return marks the beginning of a second spell in charge of Arrows, where he previously guided the team to a fourth-place finish in the 2020/21 season. His appointment brings an experienced coach back to a club he knows well as they look to improve their fortunes in the Betway Premiership.

His arrival also comes at an eventful time for Pirates, where questions had been raised about his status before his exit was made public. The development happened only days before the highly anticipated Soweto Derby, adding to the attention surrounding his departure.

During his time with Orlando Pirates, Ncikazi was part of a coaching setup that won nine trophies. He now faces a different challenge at Arrows, who have struggled to turn draws into victories in the opening weeks of the league campaign.

The club had collected eight points from their first eight league matches, recording one win, five draws and two defeats. Although those results have kept Arrows competitive, the team will need greater consistency to climb the standings.

Ncikazi’s immediate priority will be to help the players regain momentum and deliver results, starting with a Carling Knockout Round of 16 encounter against Chippa United.

The match is scheduled for Saturday at 15:00 at King Zwelithini Stadium, giving the new coach little time to settle before his first major assignment.

Arrows will be hoping that Ncikazi’s familiarity with the club and his experience at one of South Africa’s biggest football teams can help bring about an improvement.

For Ncikazi, the return offers an opportunity to rebuild his coaching momentum in Durban. For Golden Arrows, the appointment represents a fresh start after a difficult opening stretch of the season.

The focus now shifts to whether the returning coach can make an immediate impact and guide Arrows towards more consistent performances in the league and cup competitions.

Source: https://x.com/kickoffmagazine/status/2113305747387793913?s=46