Mhlongo, a former footballer, has spoken out on Mandla Ncikazi's exit from Orlando Pirates, pointing out why the veteran coach could have been wise to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

Mhlongo thinks that football coaches should have chances to be themselves, build their careers, and find their voice. He made the case that staying on as an assistant coach for a long time may make it difficult to put one's own football philosophy into practice and make tough judgements.

If a coach feels they are ready to advance in their profession, Mhlongo says they shouldn't be afraid to seek out possibilities to manage teams independently. He emphasised that in order to advance in one's career, one must be able to tell when one's present role does not allow for enough room for advancement.

Ncikazi was a member of the Orlando Pirates' technical staff for five seasons before he recently left the club. During that time, he helped the squad achieve great success. Both his lengthy tenure with the Buccaneers and his background in South African football have contributed to the attention surrounding his departure.

Mhlongo further speculated that Ncikazi may make a future return to Pirates, possibly in a head coaching role. His reasoning was that he might improve his chances of landing the job by working on his coaching credentials and getting some more experience.

Nevertheless, Mhlongo also brought attention to Ncikazi's extensive history with Golden Arrows, a club that was essential in his coaching career prior to his transfer to Pirates. He thinks Ncikazi might help Golden Arrows avoid relegation if he returns, since the team is supposedly going through a tough patch.

The coach would be able to repay the club for all of its assistance throughout his career, according to Mhlongo, who urged such a move.

He came to the conclusion that Ncikazi's choice should not be seen through an only economic perspective. On the contrary, he thinks the decision could have been impacted by loyalty, personal dignity, and respect for the individuals and organisations who played a role in his development.

As Ncikazi thinks about how to progress his coaching career, everyone is watching what he does next.

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The sentence can be paraphrased as: "The Orlando Pirates have been endorsed by Benson Mhlongo, who is hoping for a return to the team."