Transforming Golden Arrows: Manqoba Mngqithi's ambitious plans for 2025/26
Golden Arrows Manqoba Mngqithi is settling back in KZN following his return to the club. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Manqoba Mngqithi has committed to building a long-term project at Golden Arrows, with wholesale changes expected at the club ahead of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season.
The 54-year-old coach, who returned to the KwaZulu-Natal outfit in March following his departure from Mamelodi Sundowns in December, has wasted little time in reshaping the squad and technical team.
Arrows ended the previous campaign in 12th position, securing 31 points from 28 matches.
Mngqithi's return to the club that helped launch his professional coaching career has signalled a renewed sense of ambition in Durban.
After spending over a decade at Sundowns, where he played a significant role in their domestic dominance, his decision to rejoin Arrows indicates a desire to build something sustainable.
In one of the club's recent documentaries, Mngqithi outlined his vision, which includes the dream of delivering Arrows' first-ever league title—adding to the 2009 MTN8 triumph, which remains the club's only major trophy to date.
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His long-standing connection with the club has been a driving force behind his commitment to the project.
Behind the scenes, changes are already being implemented. Arrows have brought in Yardaan Valodia as part of their technical team.
The 20-year-old analyst arrives from Mamelodi Sundowns and was part of the South Africa U20 setup that won the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Cairo last month.
Valodia, one of the youngest performance analysts in the country, joined Sundowns at the start of last season and quickly adapted to the demands of the elite level.
His close working relationship with Mngqithi appears to have played a role in his move to KwaZulu-Natal.
The decision to bring in such a young yet experienced figure points to Mngqithi's intention to modernise Arrows' technical approach, blending experience with innovation and data-driven planning—an approach he was exposed to during his tenure at Chloorkop.
MANQOBA MNGQITHI
Next season, Golden Arrows will be a team you have never seen before. You will even doubt yourselves that you are part of that team.
My biggest dream is to win a League title with a small team. I want Golden Arrows to win the PSL league trophy next season.
I… pic.twitter.com/MwL2XPAf5l — Constitution First 🇿🇦 (@Constitution_94) June 8, 2025
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